Standing at 6-4 on the season and heading into a second matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, the trade targets for the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be growing. While guest appearing on ESPN’s Hoop Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst, Lakers Insider and ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin pulled the curtains back a little further regarding who else he believes could be on LA’s radar.
Los Angeles Trade Targets Expanding, Per Lakers Insider
Lakers Trade Target Potentials Keeps Growing, Says ESPN’s Dave McMenamin
JJ Redick has seemingly turned the Lakers team around in several aspects. A couple of areas of progress still exist, though. Perimeter and transition defense, for example. However, this season’s version of the Lakers already looks different than last. Still, the roster has flaws, and GM Rob Pelinka is already said to be searching the landscape to upgrade at least one position: center.
Names such as Jonas Valančiūnas and Brook Lopez have been connected to trade rumors with the Lakers for a few weeks now. Valančiūnas, currently playing for the Washington Wizards, was reportedly on the Lakers radar early in the summer. Despite the interest, LA opened their season with Anthony Davis and Jaxson Hayes. To chat about the Lakers current roster position and trade prospects, Windhorst and McMenamin discussed who they think could be made available for a trade at the center position. [19:45 mark]
“It’s kind of been a nightly exercise here for the Lakers as they play the opponent you’re like looking at Detroit’s roster like, ‘Oh could Jalen Duren or Isaiah Stewart be that guy?’…You look at Valančiūnas certainly is a name that’s legitimately still on the Lakers radar and we’ll have to see how Washington’s season goes.
McMenamin also inserted the Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers as potential trade partners.
“We have Portland having a really terrible start to the year but Time Lords back in the mix, could Robert Williams be someone the Lakers could acquire? Another realistic name you look at Brooklyn they’ve been very competitive thus far but are they going to be able to sustain that? Maybe Nic Claxton could be a guy in the mix for the Lakers. Because they won in 202o with the Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee combo next to Anthony Davis, Davis net let go of that idea that ‘thats my best chance to win with LeBron [James].”
Giannis-Type Acquisition Unlikely
The Lakers will likely not involve themselves in a massive superstar trade. Windhorst briefly alluded to this. That includes someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo. Instead, a smaller piece to boost the rotation and help AD is more likely. This seems the best path, providing Austin Reaves, for instance, continues his much-improved play under Redick’s system. If this present team can continue playing in the general scope of how they’re playing, with who they have already, there might not be a need for a huge splash. Perhaps more of an impact move than anything else.
Nevertheless, this season does appear to suggest a significant in-season roster change for the Lakers. Only time will tell if and when it comes to fruition. In the meantime, the Lakers have business to attend to this week. They’re looking for a bounce-back win against the Grizzlies, who blew them out last week. Then, they kick off their NBA Cup in-season tournament against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
