The summer was filled with busy trades and signings for the Los Angeles Lakers. They made a huge blockbuster trade that sent Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia and brought Dwight Howard in from the Orlando Magic. A few weeks before that, they made a sign and trade with the Phoenix Suns to bring in Steve Nash. They also brought in former Sixth Man of the Year, Antwan Jamison.
It was supposed to be an easy stroll to the NBA Finals for this team, which also consists of two other future Hall of Famers in Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, but it hasn’t turned out that way.
If rumors move around the NBA quicker than runners in a 100-meter dash, consider the Lakers Usain Bolt.
Tyreke Evans, the fourth year swing guard of the Sacremento Kings, is reportedly on the trading block and the Lakers are one of the teams that are supposedly interested. Among them, others teams include the Boston Celtics, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Denver Nuggets.
In an article by Steve von Horn of SBNation.com, Tyreke Evans “wouldn’t be too broken up about it if the Kings traded him prior to the Feb. 21 deadline.”
While Evans has played one game in three weeks because of soreness in his left knee, he said he is frustrated that the organization hadn’t scheduled a second opinion. Evans is in the last year of his contract and has taken rehab slow saying he doesn’t want to have a setback when playing for a new contract.
“Definitely,” he said. “That’s why I sat out so many games. I wasn’t going to come back until I was ready, near 100 percent. You have to think about that. But the knee feels good now, it doesn’t hurt. I just want to get back out there and start playing like I can.”
It isn’t certain what the Lakers would offer for Evans, but with guys like Bryant and Nash around to mentor Evans, those in Lakerland may believe that Tyreke would begin to groom as the All-Star everyone thought he’d be coming out of Memphis.