NBA Rumors: The Los Angeles Lakers have a natural interest in Zach LaVine but there's one huge concern that could keep them from making a deal.
The Los Angeles Lakers expect to be one of the teams that could win it all this season. However, unless they do end up making a big move at the NBA Trade Deadline, that could be hard to believe. One player that has reportedly been on the team's radar early on this season is Zach LaVine.
He's a player who is likely going to be traded by the Chicago Bulls before the trade deadline and would be a natural fit for the Lakers.
According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, while the Lakers have an interest in LaVine, they're worried about what the Lakers would be giving up on the defensive end to get better offensively. They're also concerned about the long-term implications that taking on LaVine's contract could have on the team down the road.
The big dilemma for the Los Angeles Lakers
The big question is, will these concerns end up keeping the Lakers from genuinely pursuing a deal for LaVine? I don't think that's something that can be answered two months before the trade deadline. This is something that can carry into the last few days up to the deadline.
The Lakers are clearly struggling on the offensive end of the floor. They're a bottom-10 offense in the league. It's easy to see why they would theoretically welcome an addition such as LaVine. However, on the other hand, the Lakers have been one of the best defenses in the league. If they were to gut some of their roster to add LaVine, they'd probably lose some of their playmakers on the defensive end of the floor.
What the Lakers need to decide is whether that would be worth it for the improvement that would come on the offensive end of the floor. Quite frankly, I believe that will ultimately be answered by what happens over the next few weeks.
If the Lakers are able to recover offensive a bit, perhaps they don't feel the need to make a big move for LaVine. However, if nothing changes on that end of the floor, perhaps they make that consideration a serious one as the trade deadline draws near.
Either way, it should be an intriguing storylines to follow over the course of the next two months.