All-Star Lakers Trade Target May Stay On Current Team

This may throw a wrench in LA's trade plans.

Your Los Angeles Lakers are in peril, sitting at 20-21 on the season and occupying the West's 10th seed despite LeBron James and Anthony Davis being the healthiest they've been (in terms of percentage of games played) since the team's 2020 title run. 

Some roster improvements are undoubtedly necessary, with Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, and Alex Caruso headlining potential pickups for the Purple and Gold.  

Zach LaVine's name has swirled the most and for the longest, as the UCLA product has demonstrated an interest to play in Los Angeles, and would fit seamlessly alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. 

There's a key obstacle, however. ESPN's Bobby Marks speculates that issues with the salary cap and LA's financial flexibility could obstruct a potential acquisition. 

For this reason and more, Joe Crowley of the Chicago Sun wrote the following, suggesting that LaVine will stay in the Windy City:

"The market seemingly also wants LaVine to stay a Bull, as evidenced by the silence for his services so far. The Bulls might have to start preparing for a scenario in which he stays with the team through the end of the season and they revisit a trade this summer."

Crowley continued apace, citing Bulls head coach Billy Donovan: 

"Arturas [Karnisovas, executive vice president of basketball operations] has never told me for sure [LaVine’s] going to be gone,” Donovan said. “He’s never said that to me, and we do talk all the time. I know I sound like a broken record here, but he generally comes to me when there’s stuff that’s important as far as the decisions being made. 

To this end, it seems like LA isn't en route to making a move for LaVine, as if there was really any traction at all, it would've been discussed between Karnisovas and Donovan, at the minimum. 

Negotiations could be happening quietly, but for major news like this, something likely would've come out by now. Perhaps LA needs to shift its focus to other targets like Dejounte Murray, whose price and fit we discussed on the All Lakers podcast.