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Lakers: 3 Trade Deadline Targets at Power Forward

By Christian Rivas

Jan 5, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton speaks with forward Julius Randle (30) during the first quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 5, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton speaks with forward Julius Randle (30) during the first quarter of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nikola Mirotic

Dec 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) reacts to a foul call against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) reacts to a foul call against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

Age: 25

Contract: Signed a three-year, $16.6 million deal in 2014. Restricted free agent in 2017. Average $5.5 million a year.

2016-17 Relevant Stats: 9.1 PTS, 5.2 REB, 0.8 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.8 BLK

Personally, I would love to trade for everyone on the Chicago Bulls. Not because I’m particularly enamored with their roster, but because I feel bad for everyone on that team, especially poor Fred Hoidberg.

He was given the starting backcourt of the 2012-13 All-Star game, a disgruntled, out of position Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and the other Lopez and was told, “make the playoffs please.” With half of the season out of the way, Hoidberg and Co. are the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.

As great as Mike D’Antoni’s been with the Houston Rockets this season, Hoidberg deserves Coach of the Year and MVP if he manages to get the Bulls in the playoffs.

However, just because the Bulls are winning games doesn’t mean that everything is hunky-dory in Chi-Town. From Instagram rants to the occasional Jimmy Butler trade rumors, the Bulls are a mess. As fun as it has been for NBA fans to watch the beautiful mess that is the Chicago Bulls, it might be time to blow the damn thing up.

According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times, the Bulls are finally taking steps towards that:

"According to multiple sources, the Bulls have been shopping guard Rajon Rondo and forward Nikola Mirotic in hopes of bolstering the roster and making a second-half run in the wide-open Eastern Conference."

Trading Nikola Mirotic makes sense for the Bulls. The 6-foot-10 Spanish forward hasn’t been productive this season and Chicago has young bigs like Bobby Portis – who looked great at the start of the season – waiting for their chance. The question then is what can they get in return?

For their sake, let’s hope it’s a shooter. The Bulls are the worst three-point shooting team in the NBA, which is no surprise when you look at their roster. Rondo has never (not once) shot above or near 40 percent from behind the arc, nor has Wade, Butler or Michael Carter-Williams. This season has been no different.

The Lakers have a number of shooters that the Bulls could use, but Nick Young is probably the most appealing. Young is one of the best pure 3-point shooters in the NBA right now and he can play either wing positions. It won’t make the Bulls a contender, but it might sneak them into the playoffs.

A straight up Young for Mirotic swap would work, but the Lakers might feel inclined to ask for a little more. If they can get a pick, great. Everything else is gravy.

The Lakers would get a potential stretch four to audition for the rest of the season. If he turns out to be just as bad as he was with Bulls, they can let him walk in free agency.

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