The Los Angeles Lakers would ideal like to be the team that lands Kevin Love in a trade this offseason. With Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash reaching the end of their careers, the team is looking to take a "win-now" approach to the season and try and acquire big names to get one more championship to the Lakers before long-time players call it quits. Love certainly meets that criteria while still being a player to build on in the future. However, the forward will not come cheap and are the Lakers will to stake the farm on the deal?
The Lakers have a strong chance at getting Love. They are projected to be under the salary cap this offseason after signing several of their players to one-year contracts last year. They only have $34.1 million committed to contracts next season. If all goes well in the upcoming NBA Draft lottery, they could guarantee themselves a top-three pick. However, what do they do with the pick?
The Lakers must decide if getting Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker is a better option than Love. Fans might see this as a no-brainer answer. Love is ready to help a team win now. Wiggins and Parker are not guarantees, just big names out of college. Love is set to make $15.7 million next season. He may or may not re-sign with whichever team makes a run at him. Any rookie will cost no more than $5.5 million. Despite Love being the more flashy move, there are pros and cons to each side.
Outside of draft picks, the Lakers have nothing else to offer Minnesota and that could be the deal breaker that forces the team to look at other free agents instead. Bleachreport.com has the team taking a serious look at Luol Deng and Lance Stephenson this offseason. Deng is one of the free agents flying under the radar. After getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the forward went quiet thanks to his struggling teammates. Stephenson's stock has taken a hit since his postseason struggles. There is also the allure of getting Carmelo Anthony. Signing a player out right could be the Lakers better option rather than a trade.
If the Lakers opt to spend instead of deal, they could set themselves up better for the long-term. They hold the rights to Kendall Marshall, Kent Bazemore and Ryan Kelly. None of those three will land Love. But pair them with a top rookie and another big-named free agent and the Lakers might be better off than they thought.