NBA 2K18 My GM Tips: 30 Franchise-Saving Trades You Must Make
17. Los Angeles Lakers
Players out (position, rating, contract length/value, age):
Luol Deng SF 73 3 yrs/55.59M 32, Jordan Clarkson PG 77 3yrs/$37.5M 25, Tyler Ennis PG 72 1 yr/$1.52M 23
Players in:
Thaddeus Young PF 77 1/$14.8M 29, Al Jefferson C 75 1 yr/$9.7M 32
Why it makes sense:
Losing Clarkson may hurt, but he's a backup about to make around $12M a season and Lonzo Ball needs as much playing time as possible to become a legitimate NBA superstar in the next year or two.
The most important part of this trade is getting rid of Deng's deal, which would hurt the team in free agency.
The return is not so bad as well, as Jefferson is a decent backup center, especially useful when Lopez gets hurt, while Young becomes an 80-rated player when moved to the small forward position and is immediately the Lakers number one option on that position.