LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves could use some extra support in the scoring column. All three players averaged over 20 points per game last season, but only one other player who finished the season on the roster had a scoring average in double figures.

“It's also possible these kinds of rumors are being floated so that those teams the Lakers have been holding trade talks with for a starting center might believe they're serious about using their trade assets on something else if prices for centers don't drop,” Irwin adds. “This is smokescreen season, after all.”