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What's the rumor?
The Los Angeles Lakers were interested in acquiring Trevor Ariza after the 33-year-old became eligible for trade yesterday, although Ariza now seems destined to join the Washington Wizards. ESPN is reporting that the Suns and Wizards struck an agreement last night, and Adrian Wojnarowski explained the situation, saying:
Suns re-engaged with the Los Angeles Lakers on trade talks for Ariza.. The Lakers were unwilling to include one of their core young players in the trade, and the Suns ultimately moved back to complete a deal with the Wizards.
Whilst Wojnarowski didn't specifically name the member of the Lakers young core that the Phoenix Suns wanted as part of the trade, it is widely believed to be Lonzo Ball, as a report earlier this week suggested that the Suns were actively pursuing a trade for the 21-year-old point guard.
In case you didn't know...
Lonzo Ball was drafted by the Lakers as the second pick of the 2017 draft, and in his second season, Ball is averaging 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.4 steals on 39.2 percent shooting from the field.
Meanwhile, Trevor Ariza is an experienced 33-year-old who can either play at small forward or as a shooting guard. He is regarded as one of the best two-way players in the NBA, and this season he is averaging 9.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists.
The heart of the matter
It seems as though the Lakers are intent on keeping their young core together, at least for now. It is no secret that the franchise is gearing up to make a trade for Anthony Davis in the summer, and the Lakers will need to offer the Pelicans players such as Lonzo Ball in return for the All-Star. Ultimately, Lonzo Ball looks set to stay in LA until the end of the season, although his long-term future is in doubt.
What's next?
The Lakers defeated the Charlotte Hornets last night, and they are once again in action tonight as they will face the struggling Washington Wizards.
Guess the Lakers players!
