Rumors are out that the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in making a move for impending free agents Chandler Parsons of the Dallas Mavericks and Hassan Whiteside of the Miami Heat in the summer.

Placed at the bottom of the Western Conference with a 13-51 record, the Lakers are said to be already preparing themselves for the coming offseason where they can finally begin to move forward without superstar Kobe Bryant for the first time in 20 years.

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Lakers Nation indicated that the Hollywood franchise, who will have an estimated $65 million of salary cap space by the time Bryant retires, is one of the teams that will pursue Parsons if the 27-year-old former Florida Gators standout decides to opt-out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent this July.

Parsons is currently in the second year of his three-year, $46 million contract with the Mavericks which has a player option after the second season. If he decides to opt-in this offseason, then he will surely be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2017.

Bryant had been playing at the no. 3 position this year to give way to the starting backcourt combo of young guns Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell. When the five-time NBA champion finally hangs up his jersey at the end of the season, they will need someone to replace Bryant at the spot, and after Kevin Durant (which they will also try to snag), Parsons is arguably the next best small forward in the free agent lineup this summer.

Meanwhile, Fansided reported that "there's no question" the Lakers "are a prime candidate to try and sign virtually any big free agent that hits the market in the summer of 2016" and that includes seven-footer Whiteside.

The report said that while Whiteside has not truly proven his worth as a centerpiece big man in the league, LA can bank on the numbers he was able to produce in his past two seasons with the Heat.

Whiteside averaged a solid 11.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in a little less than 24 minutes of playing time per night as a starter for Miami in 2014-2015. In 54 games this season, his averages have actually improved, producing 13.2 points, 11.7 boards, and 3.9 blocks in almost 29 minutes per game.

The Lakers could particularly use his rebounding and shot-blocking prowess, two areas of the game where LA is lacking.

TagsNBA Free-Agency Rumors, Lakers free-agency rumors, Los Angeles Lakers, Chandler Parsons, Hassan Whiteside