NBA trade news: Kupchak admits ‘flurry’ in trade calls for but Lakers won't deal young players

Mitch Kupchak, the general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, admitted that they were active in discussing possible trades with other NBA teams in recent weeks. The Hollywood team is currently one of the worst teams in the league in the current season.

"There was a flurry of phone calls a couple of weeks ago, most of which I initiated," the long-time NBA executive told SBNation.com."[We] have to be careful with what we do. Most of the teams that would have interest in our players would have interest in our young players and we covet our young players pretty highly right now. So it would be tough for us to move a young player."

Kupchak is referring to 23-year-old Jordan Clarkson, 21-year-old Julius Randle and 19-year-old D’Angelo Russell. All three have been playing well for the Lakers this year despite the lost season, which will see the team end up in the lottery again like the past two seasons

Russell, who averages 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists, and Randle, who averages a near double-double of 10.6 points and 9.5 rebounds, were the Lakers lottery picks the past two seasons.

Meanwhile, Clarkson was the Lakers’ steal in the 2014 draft, where they picked him in the second round. Clarkson averages 15.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists in just his second year in the league.

Kupchak went on to state that he does not expect the Lakers to make “a blockbuster deal” and admitted that the Lakers found it difficult to be involved in trades last season because the Lakers "really didn’t have much to sell.”

However, the Lakers are likely to keep their own first round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and could use it as a package with any of their young stars and try to net a superstar in trades.

The current face of the franchise, Kobe Bryant, is retiring from the NBA after the 2015-2016 season.