NBA Trade Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers To Send Roy Hibbert To A Playoff Team?
Los Angeles Lakers has been the major subject of several NBA trade rumors, with most reports saying that they are about to sign a new star player as Kobe Bryant is set to retire after this season.
But the latest rumor is entirely different though. Reportedly, Lakers will not acquire a new one but will instead release a rotation player, a vital one at that.
Answering a query from a fan, Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler said Los Angeles Lakers are looking to trade center Roy Hibbert, hopefully to a team going to the playoffs.
Roy Hibbert waived some of his trade kicker to land in LA... I was told Lakers trying to find him a playoff team. https://t.co/f0ulO2TqJB">https://t.co/f0ulO2TqJB
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) https://twitter.com/stevekylerNBA/status/688882134069719040">January 18, 2016
Hibbert arrived at Staples Arena on July 9 from Indiana Pacers through a trade. Before joining Purple and Gold, he was one of the key guys from Pacers wherein he helped them reach two straight Eastern Conference finals appearances. However, they lost to the Lebron James-led Miami Heat.
He has two NBA All-Star appearances and an NBA All-Defensive Second Team. However, in his last season there, his game sagged off.
The said NBA trade rumors came as a surprise as his veteran presence is still valued in the Lakers franchise.
In his latest interview, Roy Hibbert expressed his desire to work harder for his current team.
"I guess that's more my back because that's my territory," Hibbert told Los Angeles Times. "I try to do a good job of contesting shots and blocking shots and altering shots, but I've got to do a better job of doing more. Being a big guy, I've got to shore up the paint a lot more. It's my job."
He also expressed frustration over the Lakers' struggle but his statements did not give a hint that his name might be dragged into NBA trade rumors.
"It's rough," he said. "The skeletons are there to be a really good team. It's just not going the way we want it to be. You see glimpses but it's been rough.
The Los Angeles Lakers are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with only nine wins. Hibbert is currently averaging 6.6 PPG and 5.8 RPG.