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NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers freeing up space for LeBron James and Paul George?

By David Austin Bumpus

March 19, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) during second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
March 19, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) during second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Lakers pulled off a huge deal when they traded D’Angelo Russell, and it looks like it’s part of a big picture involving LeBron James and Paul George.

The Los Angeles Lakers are making moves left and right ahead of Thursday’s NBA Draft, and it looks like there’s a clear endgame involving LeBron James and Paul George forming with all of the trades they are making.

The team traded point guard D’Angelo Russell and center Tim Mozgov on Tuesday afternoon to the Brooklyn Nets for a first round pick and Brook Lopez, and a big reason for that was the Lakers’ pursuit and inevitable drafting of UCLA’s Lonzo Ball on Thursday night. However, more details are flying around about why the trade was made, and it looks like the Lakers are looking ahead to the future rather than the present.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the trade was a part of a long-term plan to clear cap room for Paul George and for their inevitable pursuit of LeBron James in free agency in 2018.

George has shown his interest in leaving the Indiana Pacers and landing in Los Angeles in free agency, and let that desire be known earlier this week. Meanwhile, LeBron is dealing with the Cleveland Cavaliers firing their general manager David Griffin, and The King may also want to head out west as well.

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The Lakers will have the opportunity, depending on whether or not they deal Julius Randle and/or Jordan Clarkson, to offer two max contracts in the 2018 free agency period, which could give them a serious chance to land LeBron and George to go alongside Ball after this upcoming season.

While this deal is obviously huge with some future implications, the Lakers may not be done, and we could see George land in Los Angeles as soon as Thursday during the draft, with a sign-and-trade type of deal likely if it happens.