The NBA draft is still a few weeks away and as the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs do battle against each other for the championship, everyone else in the league in maneuvering and planning on what moves to make before all the top prospects are selected and teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves all could move in the draft.
According to Bleacher Report and Fox Sports, there are a number of big name players that are on the block as teams try to trade and move up in the draft, including Lakers star Pau Gasol, Pelicans guard Eric Gordon as well as Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews. Other teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves are also interesting in moving in the draft, according to the reports. The Lakers interest comes from the fact that their first pick in the entire draft comes with the 48th pick in the second round and they would like to move up to get some young talent on the roster.
Amazingly, the Lakers haven't had or kept their first round pick in a number of years and with Kobe Bryant coming back from an injury and the possibility of losing Dwight Howard on the horizon, the franchise needs some young talent. The roster is getting up there in age with Bryant, Gasol and Steve Nash as well as Metta World Peace and that is why the team could be willing to dish Gasol. Bryant has always advocated for keeping Gasol, but with the team trying to sign Dwight Howard and also trying to get younger, he may be one of the pieces that is let go or moved.
The Lakers had a tough season after getting off to a bad start and Bryant and Howard didn't really start to click until later in the season. Once the two finally started playing well together, Bryant injured his his Achilles and his season was over and then the Lakers got swept by the Spurs in the playoffs and the team's season was over. Howard has been speculated as going to the Rockets, Mavericks, Hawks and other teams, but there is still always a chance that he will come back and sign with the Lakers again. Howard didn't get along well with Mike D'Antoni and whatever he thinks of that relationship may be the biggest factor in his returning to the city.
The Pelicans could also try to make a move ahead of the draft and the name that keeps coming up is Eric Gordon, as he has been dealing with injuries and other issues with the team over the past couple years. In a report from John Reid of The Times-Picayune, he reports that the Pelicans could try to shop Gordon after they matched a deal that the Suns gave him as a restricted free agent and now the best move might be to deal him after missing 42 games last season. Another team that has been mentioned in moves is the Portland Trail Blazers with Wesley Matthews, as CSN Northwest reports that the team may want to trade up to draft Victor Oladipo and in doing that, they will try to deal Matthews. Tim Timberwolves also have reportedly put Derrick Williams on the block in hopes of moving up in the draft as well.
