The Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling for some time now, but soon will not be restricted by cap space to make moves that would improve the franchise. With this comes much buzz and rumors, as they're expected to be busy both at the trade deadline and in free agency. One such recent rumor has linked the Lakers to Chicago Bulls big man Joakim Noah, who's been struggling himself. Is there any possibility on a deal getting done before the deadline?
The Latin Post as well as Inquistr have linked Noah to the Lakers, and the deal does make sense.
Chicago has been struggling to find the right rotation with a surplus of big men and Noah has struggled the most in new coach Fred Hoiberg's system. Averaging just 4.3 points per game this season, he's also coming off of a shoulder injury. What that means is that right now, his price isn't outrageous as far as the Lakers are concerned, and he'd be an upgrade over the inept Roy Hibbert, no doubt.
Another bonus for L.A. is that Noah is on an expiring contract. If he proves himself and shows that he can fit in with their guys, hustling down rebounds and making smart passes as he's been known to do, he'll certainly get an offer in free agency. If not, the Lakers can move on -- no harm, no foul.
From the Bulls perspective, it could be a great move to make a trade with the Lakers. Not only have they committed to giving Bobby Portis more minutes and players like Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson and Nicola Mirotic (sometimes) have showed more promise in the new system, but the Lakers have a couple of guys who the Bulls would gladly accept.
One option would certainly be Lou Williams. With the way Williams has played, I'd expect the Lakers to want to hold on to him if they could. But he could be a part of a deal before the deadline.
A more likely scenario and one that may actually favor the Bulls' current needs would be Nick Young. Say what you will about the man known as Swaggy P, but he's had success in the right situations before, and is a career 37 percent three-point shooter. In an offense with some other athletic guards and big men, he could thrive as the guard coming off of the bench, igniting the offense if it's stagnant, and he also adds better length at 6-foot-7 than Williams (a mere 6-foot-1).
While there hasn't been any official confirmation that this has been talked about between the two franchises, it's a move that makes sense for both moving forward, and could end up being a reality at some point in the next month or so.
