Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players most likely to be traded in 2018

3. Luol Deng

In this slot, I initially wanted to go with someone like Tyler Ennis or Ivica Zubac. However, they don’t offer a ton of value to opposing teams and don’t count much in terms of salary to make financials of a trade work. So I threw that idea out of the window.

I’ll address the Lakers’ young core of rising stars later, but for now, Luol Deng finds himself on the list at No. 3. It may seem unlikely, but Magic knows how to wheel and deal. He seems like the kind of guy who can achieve seemingly impossible things when he really puts his mind to it.

Well, his mind is being put to it. It’s common knowledge that, since the 2017 trade deadline, the Lakers have been making every effort to move the aging Deng and his overpriced contract. The problem is finding a team willing to take on that albatross of a deal. Even if they do find a team with the cap space and lack of competitiveness needed to waste a roster spot on him for two more years, it’s going to come at a steep cost.

At the same time, Deng’s contract may be needed to strike a deal. If the Lakers really are targeting a star, the veteran’s $18 million per year could be required to make the financials match up. Again, though, that could force Los Angeles to throw in a youngster or extra draft picks.

Still, I’m not counting out Deng getting dealt. Magic conjured a miracle last offseason by finding a trade partner for Timofey Mozgov and hustling a first round pick out of the Brooklyn Nets in the process. As farfetched as it may seem, don’t think a Deng deal is dead just yet.