NBA: 5 Biggest Winners from the Mid-Season Trade Window

#2 Los Angeles Lakers

Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle

Ever since the new Lakers' front office of Magic Johnson (President of Basketball Operations) and Rob Pelinka (General Manager) took over last February, their biggest priority was letting go of the bad contracts signed by the previous regime and putting themselves in contention to sign free agents by making a ton of cap space.

Well, they did just that. Multiple reports suggested Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. (as a sweetener) were on the trading block. Two of the three players got traded to the Cavaliers in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and Cleveland's 2018 first-round pick.

The trade was a huge exclamation mark on everything the management has done over the past year. It not only clears Clarkson's contract off the books but they also absorb Thomas and Frye, both of which are expiring contracts. In addition, they get a Draft pick, something they don't have, courtesy of the Steve Nash trade back in 2013.

That pick is going to pay huge dividends given the success the team has had over the past couple of season in the Draft.