The relationship of the Los Angeles Lakers and former All-Star center Roy Hibbert might be ending soon as the big man finds himself in the trade rumor mill while playing for a rebuilding franchise.
Trade rumors regarding Hibbert sparked following a Twitter post by Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders saying, "Roy Hibbert waived some of his trade kicker to land in LA... I was told Lakers trying to find him a playoff team."
In Kyler's report, he mentioned that along with guard Nick Young, the Lakers are also open to trading Hibbert, but neither are "overly attractive on the trade front."
Hibbert joined the Lakers before the 2015–16 National Basketball Association (NBA) season via a trade deal from the Indiana Pacers, a team where he achieved so much success.
The arrival of the 29-year-old center gave the Lakers a force at the paint and hope that the team could improve its performance last season.
But as this season continues to shape up, the Lakers are again looking at a losing campaign where they are expected to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
Hibbert is the main center for Los Angeles, but he has yet to have a significant impact on the team. Currently, he is averaging 6.6 points (career-low), 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 43 games this season.
In a report by Lakers Nation, it was suggested that the Lakers might be looking to "clean house" in preparation for a massive offseason that will feature big stars becoming free agents.
Los Angeles is one of the teams expected to be a main suitor of star free agents as it aims to speed up the rebuilding phase and contend by next season.
The biggest free agent on the market is Oklahoma City Thunder forward and former Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kevin Durant, and the Lakers already expressed interest in trying to acquire him.
