Lakers Trade Prospects: Best Player Available At Every Position

The NBA trade deadline is now only two days away and according to sources, trade talks are beginning to heat up around the league

Though it seems doubtful that the Lakers make a substantial move at the deadline, or any trades at all for that matter, with more and more names being thrown into the pot every minute, a blockbuster trade somewhere in the league appears inevitable at this point.

Los Angeles’ stagnation revolves around many things, but is mostly due to the fact that they are unwilling to break up their young core, which is actually good news for the Lakers. That said, the pieces they are willing to part with — Roy Hibbert, Nick Young, Lou Williams, Brandon Bass — aren’t likely to bring in a large haul.

Regardless, it is interesting to see some of the names on the trading block, players that could seriously shift the momentum for a team, quickly turning them from pretender to contender.

Point Guard: Jeff Teague
Honorable Mention: Ricky Rubio

Sadly, since entering the league, Atlanta Hawks point guard, Jeff Teague, has been wildly underrated. Likely due to his mild mannered demeanor, Teague continues to fly under the radar almost every year.

Subtracting Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry from the equation, who are statistical outliers, when comparing his per 36 minute stats to the rest of the point guards in the league, Teague is actually one of the best in the business.

Averaging just around 19 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists per 36, he’s shown his ability to run an NBA offense, leading the Hawks to a 31-24 record, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference. Seeing how the Hawks were willing to entertain the Indiana Pacers’ offer of George Hill for Teague, it’s apparent that Atlanta still doesn’t appreciate what a gem they happened to stumbled upon.

That said, plenty of teams could benefit by trading for the sixth year point guard. Imagine a team like the San Antonio Spurs trading for Teague to bolster their bench and prepare for life without Tony Parker. Scary thought.

Shooting Guard: Victor Oladipo
Honorable Mention: Lou Williams/Iman Shumpert

At this point in his NBA tenure, Victor Oladipo is an extremely intriguing piece. Currently, similar to Zach LaVine, it’s not even known whether Oladipo should be playing point guard or shooting guard. However, one thing that isn’t debatable is his impressive athleticism paired with his defensive potential.

Just a few games ago, the Indiana University product put up 37 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists against the Oklahoma City Thunder, showing the league just how frightening he could be if he developed a consistent outside shot.

While trading for Lou Williams or Iman Shumpert is more likely to push a team into playoff contention, Oladipo still remains the best asset for the future, which is why he currently sits atop this list.

Small Forward: Kyle Korver
Honorable Mention: Tobias Harris

Despite only shooting 39 percent from downtown this season, Kyle Korver‘s 49 percent clip from just a year ago makes him an extremely invaluable asset. It’s not often that you see sharp shooting 3-point specialists have a multitude of sets designed specifically for them, sans Korver and J.J. Reddick, but that just attests to their value.

Rumors recently surfaced about the Cleveland Cavaliers considering Korver their “dream” acquisition as he’d add an interesting dynamic to the team heading into the playoffs. Seeing that they have since placed Iman Shumpert on the block, they would be sacrificing defense for offense if they happened to trade the two for each other.

This becomes a confusing prospect considering Tyronn Lue’s recent comments about their defense getting worse since his hiring.

Power Forward: Blake Griffin
Honorable Mention: Kevin Love/Kenneth Faried

Since breaking his hand on an employee’s face, the relationship between Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers has been anything but smooth sailing.

After it was announced that the team/league had suspended him for four games without pay, rumors began to swirl that the Clippers were actually willing to break ties with the five time All Star..

However, others still remain adamant that the six year veteran power foward isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Evolving from a one trick pony into the dynamic player we know him as today, despite his Johnny Manziel-esque behavior as of late, Blake Griffin is still a game changer.

Though some will argue that the Clippers are actually better without Griffin, going 18-5 in his absence, his value still remains as shown by the trades the boys in blue have been offering the rest of the league.

Center: Al Horford
Honorable Mention: Dwight Howard

In years past, Dwight Howard would easily take the cake at this position, but seeing what teams finally understand about him, that he tends to burn bridges wherever he goes, makes him an honorable mention. This, on top of the fact that most teams simply view him as a rental, who will likely jet as soon as the season is over.

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Though Al Horford is in a similar contractual position, teams seem to feel like trading for Horford, and thereby obtaining his Bird Rights, would be a more realistic play towards the deadline.

After placing Jeff Teague on the block, the Atlanta Hawk’s fire sale became readily apparent which is confusing seeing that they currently sit in fourth place in the competitive Eastern Conference.

Unlike Howard, Horford is a no nonsense kind of player, who could easily push a team like the Toronto Raptors or the Boston Celtics into serious contention.

Seeing how the Hawks would likely prefer to get back assets for the future if they’re going to blow up their current roster, the Celtics, with their plethora of draft picks, sit in the perfect position to make an offer they can’t refuse.

Next: Lakers Trade Rumors: LA's Young Core Likely Staying

Time is ticking down to the NBA trade deadline so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens, but be sure to stay tuned for everything Lakers and for news on the biggest moves around the league!