LA Lakers Rumors: Looking to Trade Jeremy Lin?

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the Los Angeles Lakers could start moving certain assets and one of those can very well be Jeremy Lin.

Lin has had a pretty good season with the Lakers, averaging 10.5 points and 4.6 assists in 25.6 minutes. When Lin was brought in, the Lakers had hoped that he would take a much larger role for the team. However his lack of production cost him minutes on the court as well as his starting spot in the lineup. Now, the Lakers are reportedly looking to trade Lin.

A trade, however, could be very hard to complete.

According ESPN Insider Nick Borges, "Lin is on the salary cap this season for $8.37 million, but he's actually making close to $15 million as part of the offer sheet he signed with the Houston Rockets in July of 2012. Lin is currently still owed $6.05 million this season. For that reason and his lack of production, the Lakers can only deal Lin if they are willing to take back an equally bad contract."
Sean Deveney of the Sporting News wrote, "He [Lin] would make a good backup point guard and the Lakers would move him if they could get an asset in return, but the market for Lin has been weak."

Lin's future with the Lakers is also highly dependent on Kobe Bryant. Sources stated that the Lakers organization will take Bryant's advice into account when making trades and signing free agents. Bryant is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Lin has not said much about the rumors that he will be headed out of Los Angeles. When asked, Lin simply replied, "I'll just cross that bridge when the time comes."

He has, however, commented on the ups and downs of his career.

"In terms of my career, the only thing that's really been consistent is the amount of inconsistency that I've had in my life," Lin said according to ESPNLosAngeles.com. "I've gone from getting cut to the D-League to starting to playing heavy minutes -- a different role every week, it seems like. I've just got to keep trying to stay aggressive when I get out there -- if I get out there."

Lin did not play at all during the Feb. 2 game against the San Antonin Spurs. He was a DNP-CD (did not play - coach's decision). Lakers head coach Bryon Scott stated that the problem is Lin's inconsistency.

"The effort has been great," Scott said. "That hasn't been a problem with Jeremy. It's just a matter of being consistent each and every night, trying to get into a flow each and every night. That's what we talked about again today."

Lin will become a free agent at the end of the season.