The San Antonio Spurs are looking at rebuilding its roster following the end of the Tim Duncan era. Dealing with a similar situation after the Kobe Bryant retirement tour, the Los Angeles Lakers are also looking for a superstar whom they can build their roster around. However, that is where the similarities between the Kawhi Leonard squad and D'Angelo Russell end. At this point, the two teams need different sets of talent to move forward.
The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for an NBA veteran to lead the young core, which includes Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance, Jr and D'Angelo Russell. With their massive cap space since the exit of the Black Mamba, the Luke Walton team needs an experienced floor manager. Ever since they missed out on free agents Kevin Durant, Hassan Whiteside and Dwyane Wade, the Los Angeles Lakers have been on the look out for a potential new leader.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs appear to be looking for young stars who can eventually be developed for supporting roles. At this point, the trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker is expected to be taken over by Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Danny Green. Hence, supporting roles are important.
This s where the Nick Young trade could be an asset for the Los Angeles Lakers. Given the talented roster of the San Antonio Spurs, the D'Angelo Russell team can use the former fiance of Iggy Azalea as a valuable trading chip. Will the Los Angeles Lakers be open to moving Nick Young?
The answer seems to be in the positive. In fact, earlier reports indicate that the Los Angeles Lakers have been looking at potential trade partners to move Swaggy P even before the 2015-16 NBA season.
"The Lakers tried to trade Young, 30, each of the last two seasons as his production dropped," said Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. He added, "There were no takers. They will likely try to find a home for him again this off-season, which won't be easy with a player who didn't even get off the bench in eight games last month."
However, it looks like a Nick Young trade will not be enough for the San Antonio Spurs. Rumors are rife that the Kawhi Leonard team also demand Larry Nance, Jr. to be included in the mix. This gives them two things they want - a veteran star for the supporting role and a young player who can be developed under the tutelage of Gregg Popovich.
Although this could be a possible trade scenario for the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach Luke Walton may not agree to it. In particular, the former Golden State Warriors assistant coach seems to be keen on the potential of Larry Nance, Jr. Hence, an NBA trade deal involving the young star might not be feasible at this point.
"The little things he does on a basketball court are just, they're everything that help make a team win games," said Walton of Nance, Jr. He added, "Then you add on the fact that he has the skill and he's starting to knock down jump shots out to the three-point line, and the athleticism to be special [...] the overall picture of what he's done so far has been incredible."
