There has been plenty of controversy surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers as of late. Not only were they at the center of some refereeing controversy on Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors, they've also been in the middle of some coaching drama, with head coach Darvin Ham reportedly on the hot seat. They've also been one of the most prominent teams involved in trade rumors to the likes of Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray, both of which are available to be had for the right price.

For most of the trade rumor cycle, it's LaVine that looks like the more likely candidate for the Lakers to trade for. LeBron James and company are in dire need of some help on the offensive end of the court, and the Chicago Bulls wing helps to that end immensely.

Alas, Dejounte Murray has also reportedly become available in recent weeks, giving the Lakers another option as they look for an upgrade at the guard positions. In fact, according to Matt Moore of Action Network, the Lakers prefer to acquire Murray because he is a “two-way player” unlike LaVine, making him the compromise Klutch Sports (Murray and LaVine's representation) and the Lakers' front office can reach.

Of course, Murray would look like the more appealing target for the Lakers, as the Atlanta Hawks guard would entail a significantly less considerable financial commitment than Zach LaVine would. Murray, who signed an extension with the Hawks prior to the 2023-24 season, will be making an average of $28.5 million for the next four seasons; meanwhile, LaVine's average annual salary is at around $43 million, and his contract runs for one fewer year.

There's also the matter of Dejounte Murray having a defensive reputation that he doesn't quite live up to these days. The Hawks guard was guilty of a few abhorrent defensive plays as of late, so it's not like he'll be a huge defensive upgrade for a Lakers team that's more in need of a greater scoring punch.

Whatever the case may be, the Lakers front office has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt after their 2023 midseason trades helped right the ship for LeBron James and company en route to a deep playoff run that ended in the Western Conference Finals.