After some of the great Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns players left their respective teams, the two NBA favorites are now struggling to show a decent performance and have been underachieving the past few years. With the approach of a new NBA season, trade rumors are swirling around both teams involving rookie players.
One scenario speculated is that two up-and-coming stars of the Lakers and Suns would be swapped. The Suns' shooting guard Devin Booker would go to the Lakers, while forward Brandon Ingram would be sent to the Suns. The two players are in their rookie contracts with similar salaries, which could be possible under NBA rules based on trade and salary cap restrictions, according to The Inquistr.
The rumored trade, although it is lopsided in favor of the Suns, would likely be thumbed down by Ryan McDonough, trade general manager of the team. The Lakers may also disagree with the trade since it relies heavily on Booker, although Ingram would be a good small forward for the Suns.
Only Ingram Is Involved In Trade Rumor
But Headlines & Global News has a different version involving trade of Suns guard Eric Bledsoe for Lakers' Nick Young and Ingram. In acquiring Young and Ingram, the Lakers -- which are playing minus superstar Kobe Bryant for the first time in 20 years -- would boost the team's young core. After his performance at the summer league, Ingram is considered a potential All-Star, while Young brings his experience as a college basketball player for the USC Trojans and twice first-team all-conference selection in the Pac-10.
Bledsoe, in turn, could boost the backcourt of the LA Lakers since his average last season was 20.4 points, 6.1 assists and 4 rebounds per game. He would strengthen the Lakers' offense. Also being rumored to go with Bledsoe to the Lakers is D'Angelo Russell.
The Shortcomings Of Young
Since April, there have been reports of the Lakers' plan to trade Young who is inconsistent and was involved in a fiasco with Russell. On the part of the Suns, having Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Booker created a tight backcourt which makes it necessary to trade one of the three, likely Bledsoe.
Trading Bledsoe appears to be a good strategy because of his high salary, the biggest among the Suns, so trading him would free some cap space which the team could use in the future.
