The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly looking to deal four of their veteran players during the current NBA trade season and one of the predicted trade targets for the Hollywood team is Sacramento Kings' veteran scorer Rudy Gay.

The 29-year-old small forward could reportedly be an "immediate scoring threat" for the Lakers particularly at the no. 3 spot where retiring superstar Kobe Bryant only has 36-year-old Metta World Peace and rookie Larry Nance Jr. as backups, according to Hoops Habit.

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Gay can start or come off the bench for head coach Byron Scott and the Tinseltown residents would still have a more valuable offensive contributor than its current veterans Lou Williams, Roy Hibbert, Nick Young, and Brandon Bass. Among the four, it is only perhaps Williams who attracts the same kind of defensive attention as much as Gay.

Furthermore, with the 6-foot-8 former Connecticut standout placed in his natural small forward position, Bryant could slide back to the two guard spot, which would alleviate so much of the NBA legend's pressure from guarding bigger players every game during his farewell season.

However, ESPN's Marc Stein noted that the Kings are not just considering to trade Gay, they reportedly want "a quality young player in return" if they have to let go of their scoring vet.

There are rumors arising that the Lakers are secretly trying to deal this season's second overall pick, D'Angelo Russell, although it is highly unlikely that the team will give him in exchange for Gay.

Clearly, there is too much upside and potential in the 19-year-old point guard for the Lakers to let him go for a veteran that is not in the level of Bryant and is in the wrong side of his prime who is turning 30 this August.

There were also speculations that aside from a young player, Sacramento also needs a defensive anchor, as per the team's superstar center DeMarcus Cousins had been clamoring all season.

If that is the case, then the Lakers could offer 7-foot-2 shot-blocking demon Roy Hibbert as a potential trade bait.

Such deal would be agreeable financially for both squads as Hibbert's $15.5 million earning this year was approved to be traded to that of Gay's $12.4 million owed by the Kings this season, as per the ESPN Trade Machine. 

TagsLakers Trade Rumors, NBA Trade Rumors, Rudy Gay, Los Angeles Lakers, sacramento kings