NBA Rumors: LA Lakers and Utah Jazz remain engaged regarding a possible trade
NBA rumors suggest the LA Lakers and Utah Jazz are still in talks over a potential trade. The two teams engaged in a transaction this offseason that saw Patrick Beverley move to LA for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson.
Speculation grew if that was the first of many moves the Lakers were about to make. The Purple and Gold have been negotiating trades to move Russell Westbrook all summer, and the Jazz were among the teams they spoke to about a potential deal.
The LA Lakers have also shown interest in forward Bojan Bogdanovic, who the Jazz are keen to move on to rebuild their own roster. Previous NBA rumors suggested the Lakers didn't like the offers on the table for Westbrook and they are unlikely to trade him this summer.
However, The Athletic's Tony Jones has reported that the 17-time champs are still in talks with the Jazz for Bogdanovic. Here's what Jones wrote:
"The Jazz are currently at 17 players, which means the roster will have to be trimmed by at least two by some point before the beginning of the regular season. And the front office isn’t done taking trade calls."
He added:
"League sources indicate a market for Bogdanovic at the very least, of which there is significant interest for the 6-foot-8 shooting forward. But, the Jazz at this point don’t appear to be particularly close to a trade that could land them even more assets and consolidate the roster, although there are ongoing talks with the Los Angeles Lakers."
At this point, the Jazz don’t appear to be particularly close to a trade that could land them even more assets and consolidate the roster, @Tjonesonthenba writes.
However, there are ongoing talks with the Lakers.
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The LA Lakers can only move Russell Westbrook's contract for salary-matching purposes. They would have to part ways with at least one of their 2027 or 2029 first-round picks to get a deal done. However, the Lakers have been reluctant to do so. It will be interesting to see if they change their stance on that as Bogdanovic appears to be a solid fit for the team.
While recent reports indicate the #Lakers still won't include two first-round picks in a trade with the Jazz, L.A. may be trying to entice them with pick swaps.
lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-… https://t.co/hI0RqCdFJ2
NBA Rumors: Three other teams apart from LA Lakers interested in Bojan Bogdanovic
Bojan Bogdanovic is an ideal trade candidate for several contending teams. He is an efficient scorer and shooter. The Utah Jazz forward averaged 18 points per game, shooting 38% from deep last season. Moreover, Bogdanovic is on an expiring deal.
According to NBA insider John Gambadoro. the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks are among the teams interested in his services, along with the LA Lakers. The Jazz believe he is worth at least a first-round pick.
Report: The Phoenix Suns have interest in trading for Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic, along with a few other teams, including the Lakers, via @Gambo987. https://t.co/1bMXaXG3p0
Considering they are in a rebuild, Utah would also prefer young players or veterans on expiring contracts along with draft compensation. So it will be interesting to see which team can draw up a package that could work well for both sides.