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Lakers Rumors: Trade offers for Julius Randle being declined

By Kenneth Teape

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 21: Julius Randle #30 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes to the basket against the New York Knicks on January 21, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 21: Julius Randle #30 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes to the basket against the New York Knicks on January 21, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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If recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors are to be believed, the team is reportedly declining trade offers for Julius Randle.

With the NBA Trade Deadline just hours away, Los Angeles Lakers rumors have really picked up. No one really knows what the Lakers will do at the deadline, as their plans for the 2018 free agency are reportedly being adjusted.

As a result, the Lakers may not be as inclined to make trades. Originally, a reason for making deals was to get more cap space for the summer. However, if the Lakers have decided they are going to wait to be active in free agency, there is no rush to clear cap space for this summer.

Stemming from that was a report that the Lakers may not trade Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. Randle and Clarkson have been on the trade block for months, leading many to believe that either one of them, if not both, would be traded by the deadline.

The odds were put at 50/50 that they would be traded. However, the odds may be worse with the most recent trade rumors news from Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, the Lakers have been receiving trade offers for Randle, but are declining them. Wojnarowski cites the return packages being offered for Randle are not up to what the team is looking for.

Teams are reportedly only offering second round picks for Randle because he is set to hit restricted free agency this summer.

This is big news for a few reasons, the first being the Lakers willingness to part with Randle. If they are not getting what they want in return, it sounds like Randle will be staying put.

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Earlier in the season, it sounded like the Lakers would trade Randle at any cost, as they didn’t want to clog up their future salary.

The other takeaway from this is that the price has been set for Randle. While no one has offered a first round pick as of now, that could change. If a team gets desperate and cracks between now and 3 pm ET/12 pm PT and offers a first-round pick, the Lakers could send Randle packing.

Randle is in the midst of a career season. It makes sense for the Lakers to field offers, as they could receive future assets such as draft picks or other young players. The Lakers currently do not have a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, so receiving one in a deal would be enticing.

It is encouraging to see the Lakers sticking to their guns. They have no real incentive to trade Randle now unless it involves ridding themselves of something such as Luol Deng‘s contract. That should be the only thing, other than first round picks, that the Lakers even consider entertaining deals including Randle for.

Next: 4 Possible Trade Destinations For Julius Randle

With just under 13 hours until the trade deadline, we will surely see plenty of rumors. Will the Lakers stay pat, or make a move? We will have to wait and see as everything will be unfolding in the coming hours.

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