2. They trade the young core for cents on the dollar due to upset over trade talks
The Lakers front office lost a lot of credibility and trust with the young core with the revelation that Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka and Co. made virtually the entire team, minus LeBron, available for trade.
They were drafted with the belief that they could help rebuild the former Lakers dynasty, but instead have become trade fodder and every poor game is scrutinized under the brightest lights. It is not out of the realm of possibility that enough is enough for the young guys.
It’s easy to see the blueprint for succeeding outside of the Lakers spotlight, with Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell showing their immense talent in different situations. Maybe the grass is greener on the other side and the young core could move on from a situation that has turned sour.
This is the least likely option. The Lakers have each player under contract for a number of years and while they may not have fully reached their potential yet, each member of the young core, especially Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram, do hold strong trade value around the league and could all be potential All-Stars in the making.