Report: Lakers believe they can trade Clarkson to free up cap space

The Los Angeles Lakers' blueprint for a possible big-money run in free agency is slowly coming to fruition.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers are reportedly banking on the idea of trading away guard Jordan Clarkson next offseason in order to set themselves up for a star-studded free-agent market.

“They believe they can trade Jordan Clarkson and get his money off," Wojnarowski said, courtesy of Harrison Faigen of Lakers Nation. "They prefer not to do it at the trade deadline. Clarkson has helped them win games this year, and because they don't have their pick, they want to win as many games as they can.

"So I think there's some confidence there that they can find a deal for Clarkson after the season, to get his money off."

As it stands, the Lakers will have a team payroll of $53.9 million next season, assuming they denounce their cap holds on free-agents-to-be Brook Lopez, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Julius Randle, Corey Brewer, and Andrew Bogut, according to Spotrac. If they trade away Clarkson and his $12.5-million salary for next season (and somehow don't take back salary in any deal), they would only have $41.4 million on the books - enough room to offer one max deal and another just under the max next summer if the NBA's projected salary cap holds at $101 million.

Chris Paul is expected to headline an intriguing group of 2018 free agents, though LeBron James and Paul George - who was reportedly set on moving to L.A. in 2018 - could also be in play if they decide to opt out.