The Lakers started the season by leaking that they were not planning to make a trade until they had 20 games to judge this team. 20 games soon became Dec. 15, the date the trade market expands because deals signed last summer are eligible to be dealt.
Now, there was never a guarantee the Lakers would make a move on that exact day, but on Dec. 16 — as expected — a new timeline has been laid out as the front office publicly kicks the rusty, tetanus-ridden can filled with Lakers fans’ collective hopes down the road once again.