Lakers GM: Russell trade a 'perfect storm,' lets us add 2 max players in 2018

The Los Angeles Lakers have their sights firmly fixed on 2018.

Their ambitious plans for that potential blockbuster summer served as the impetus for the team's big trade this offseason, which saw them move D'Angelo Russell - the second overall pick in the 2015 draft - in order to dump Timofey Mozgov's cumbersome contract.

The Lakers' plan to sign Paul George in 2018 is the NBA's worst-kept secret, but with the cap space they can now carve out - thanks to moving Mozgov's long-term contract for Brook Lopez's expiring deal - general manager Rob Pelinka is focused on adding two max free agents next summer.

"We were able to get amazing salary-cap relief and space, so in July of 2018 we have the ability to add hopefully two max-salary players to our franchise," Pelinka said of the trade, according to to ESPN's Baxter Holmes. "And that really fit into our long-term play. ...

"It was really the perfect storm for us and we felt like it's going to have a big impact."

Pelinka also pointed to Lopez's floor-spacing ability and the additional late first-round draft pick the Lakers acquired (and used to select Utah forward Kyle Kuzma) as boons in the deal. But he seemed to acknowledge that those factors are just window dressing. In the big picture, next summer is all that really matters.

"We know the goal here is to compete for championships," Pelinka said. "That's what we want to do. I think with the leading teams in the league today, we felt like, to be able to look them in the eye and challenge them, we need two superstar players to come here and join this platform and join our core group of players we now have. That's our plan, and we're going to put all of our energy and all of our hard work toward that."