The LA Lakers could look at more moves ahead of the camp this summer, as Markieff Morris and Jose Calderon are on the trade block and this come as Norris Cole remains available as a free agent if Los Angeles wants to add some depth on the roster for Jordan Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. The Lakers have also signed Michael Frazier and Jonathan Holmes to camp deals.
The Lakers have their roster mostly set for the season already, but with Morris and Calderon coming up in trade talks, there is always the chance that the Lakers get frisky. The team has depth up front at the forward position, but Morris could be a nice upgrade and his contract is not that expensive. The team is planning on monitoring the minutes for Julius Randle after his injury last year and this could help that if the Lakers want to make a deal.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Morris wants to be traded from the Suns, as he is upset after the team traded his twin brother. Morris is signed for a few more years at an affordable rate and he comes in after putting up the best numbers of his career. The Lakers reportedly looked at a deal for Ty Lawson before he was traded to the Rockets and the Los Angeles Times reports the team wants some depth behind D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson at point guard.
While adding Norris Cole on a free agent deal is unlikely since he is a restricted free agent and can have his deals matched, the team could consider a trade. Mario Chalmers and Jose Calderon are available and while both have some money on their deals, the Lakers could look at making a move with Nick Young or someone else to try and balance out the roster. The Knicks reportedly are willing to trade Calderon and the Heat have been trying to get a deal for Chalmers all offseason.
Those moves would not solve all the problems for the Lakers, but it could add some veteran experience to the position. The team is expected about Russell and Clarkson for the future, but that is a lot of pressure to put on two young players. The Knicks are reportedly interested in Jamal Crawford and there is a chance that the team could move Calderon to get a deal done. The Clippers are an option for that deal and other teams like the Heat and Cavs have shown interest in Crawford this summer.
The Lakers have depth up front with Roy Hibbert, Randle, Brandon Bass and Tarik Black at forward and center, but the team could also consider Chris Andersen from Miami as a backup option. The team has Robert Sacre at center and they also signed Holmes to compete for a roster spot in camp. Robert Upshaw also could be in the mix, but right now it's unclear if he will be an option for the team this season. The Lakers likely will not make a major trade now, but there is always a chance something could happen before the season starts.
Check here for more on the Lakers potential moves, camp invites and roster options for the season and more on the Nick Young trade talk.
