A player who last played for the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lebron-james-not-expected-to-depart-the-lakers-anytime-before-2024-2405-20220729-SPD-2405.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Los Angeles Lakers</a> in 2018 looks to be of interest to the team, according to reports. There is a possibility that the Lakers would enter into the picture if the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-trade-rumors-lakers-have-other-targets-besides-kyrie-irving-2269-20220719-SPD-2269.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Knicks</a> manage to get <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-heat-in-need-of-third-club-to-get-donovan-mitchell-2242-20220718-SPD-2242.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donovan Mitchell</a>.



If NBA insider Marc Stein is correct, Darvin Ham’s side would have no problem taking on <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/bam-adebayo-willing-to-devote-whole-professional-career-to-heat-in-spite-of-trade-rumors-2419-20220731-SPD-2419.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Julius Randle</a>‘s $117 million deal he signed in 2021. Since his contract expires at the end of the 2022-23 season, he will get $23.7 million in pay for the following two seasons.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“A very plugged-in person in the league told me… If Donovan Mitchell were to end up with the Knicks, there could be talks between the Knicks and the Lakers involving Julius [Randle],” Stein said on Spotify Live.</blockquote>



<h2>Julius Randle to return at Lakers?</h2>



Randle was drafted seventh overall by the Lakers in the NBA draft in 2014. L.A. served him well for the first four seasons and allowed him to continue to progress. He inked a two-year contract for $24 million with the New Orleans Pelicans after ending his time in Los Angeles.



He spent the 2018-19 season in New Orleans and chose not to exercise his player option for the 2019-20 season. Then, the 27-year-old moved to the Knicks and was supposed to lead the Knicks into the playoffs, but he had a poor season. As a consequence, the New York Knicks are now thought to be open to revamping their squad.

NBA News: If Donovan Mitchell joins Knicks, Lakers might move for Julius Randle - thesportsdrops NEWS

NBA News: If Donovan Mitchell joins Knicks, Lakers might move for Julius Randle

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The <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-jazz-get-numerous-players-in-exchange-for-rudy-gobert-from-timberwolves-1924-20220701-SPD-1924.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Utah Jazz</a> seem to be on the verge of a rebuild after recent rumors indicated that the organization is willing to listen to trade proposals for All-Star guard <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-lakers-not-willing-to-trade-talen-horton-tucker-for-patrick-beverley-of-jazz-2216-20220715-SPD-2216.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donovan Mitchell</a>. Rudy Gobert was sold to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a slew of draft selections and promising young players earlier this month.



In order to get Mitchell, the Jazz have begun negotiations with the New York Knicks, who are interested in trading their shooting guard. While the Knicks can provide the Jazz with a boatload of future draft selections and some promising young players, the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/jimmy-butler-isnt-ready-to-talk-about-miami-heats-playoff-elimination-1661-20220620-SPD-1661.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami Heat</a> are also interested in the agile guard. 



Utah rejected an offer from the Heat for Mitchell before they traded Gobert, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Now, Andy Larsen of ESPN reports that the Jazz have requested a third club in a possible trade for Mitchell because that agreement was deemed “insufficient.”



<h2>Why Heat need another club to acquire Mitchell</h2>



Similar to the Kevin Durant scenario, the Heat will need a third and maybe a fourth club in order to get the star. Even so, this isn’t because of the Designated Rookie Rule, which prevents teams from trading for Designated Rookie players while already having one of those players on a Designated Rookie contract.



The Miami side may not have enough draft capital to make a transaction, which is why this is happening. They only have two transferable first-round selection choices they can use to acquire Mitchell, compared to the up to eight first-round draft picks the Knicks can give, and that’s even before considering any players.

Donovan Mitchell

NBA News: If Donovan Mitchell joins Knicks, Lakers might move for Julius Randle

NBA Rumors: Heat in need of third club to get Donovan Mitchell

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