3. Julius Randle
Right now, it appears the Lakers are open for business if the right opportunity arises. Magic claimed that only Ingram is untouchable, which means that Julius Randle could be had for the right price. My guess is there would definitely be some interested parties out there.
Realistically, Randle possesses all the potential in the world. While his development hasn’t quite stayed on pace with what Los Angeles was hoping for, he showed significant improvement during what was essentially his sophomore 2016-17 campaign. Will he ever take that next step as a part of the Lakers, though?
Maybe a better supporting cast would help Randle reach his full potential. While I wouldn’t say the Lakers could never eventually give him that, I still believe he’s a very real candidate to be traded this offseason. It’s not like Los Angeles has a ton of top trade options heading into this offseason that aren’t named Ingram.
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Even if his development slows, Randle is still a plus power forward who can be a starter for the next decade. He’s still got another year under his rookie contract before restricted free agency, at which point a big-money deal will likely come from one team or another. Can the Lakers really afford to overspend to keep Randle in Los Angeles, especially if his progress slows?
The former Kentucky star still has room to grow. Maybe that upside will be enough to convince some team to make a big deal to pry him from the Lakers’ grasp.