As of December 6th, the Lakers are 12-10, sitting at the 9th spot in the crowded Western Conference. They began the season 10-4, but since then, they have lost six of eight games. In the West, things change quickly because there are too many teams that strive to be in the playoffs. With the trade deadline looming, let’s talk about potential Los Angeles Lakers trade targets.
Lakers Know They Need Two Trades to Contend
Speaking on NBA Today, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst talked about how the Lakers are fully aware that they need to make moves. And not just a single move, but multiple moves to get the team going. Brian said,
“They need two moves, in all honesty, they need two moves, and internally, they know this.”
Previously, Brian talked about how they haven’t changed the team in a while, saying,
“The truth is they haven’t really materially changed this roster. They were a play-in team last year in a year that the West was competitive, and they are probably headed for the play-in this year. They have not made changes last summer, they did not make changes last trade deadline, and the last time they made significant changes to the roster free agency in 2023, the guys they signed have not been able to contribute.”
The two moves that the Lakers need to make are to address their depth at center, where they need someone to back up Anthony Davis or potentially play alongside him. They also have to address their backcourt because they have guards who cannot guard people, putting too much pressure on AD to clean up everything. This year, the Lakers are even worse defensively than they were last year.
When Can The Lakers Make Some Moves?
As Bobby Marks from ESPN noted, we have to wait until December 15th. The date is significant because many players become trade-eligible. Before that date, the Lakers and other teams are limited. Marks noted,
“I think we have to circle December 15th, that’s the date when 87% of NBA players can be traded. Remember, the Lakers are an apron team; they are not allowed to take back more money in a deal. The hard part is, as you know, trades don’t happen right when December 15th is lifted. Most trades happen during deadline weeks; we might be in a little bit of a holding pattern as far as what the Lakers can do with their roster.”
What are the Lakers Trade Targets?
There have been plenty of Los Angeles Lakers trade rumors lately about their potential trade targets. As we can see from rumored deals, they are looking to upgrade their guard and center position.
One possible target that has been floating around is Jonas Valanciunas. The problem with Jonas is that he is not the athletic big they need next to Davis. The Wizards center is also not known for his defense, something that helped the Lakers during their 2020 title run with Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee. Valanciunas might be the easiest target at center, but the Lakers could look at options like Walker Kessler from Utah, Robert Williams from Portland, or cheap options like Goga Bitadze.
As for their guard options, the potential names floating around include Dennis Schroder from the Nets and Marcus Smart from the Grizzlies. But don’t be surprised if more Lakers trade targets emerge in the upcoming weeks leading to the deadline.
The Challenge For the Lakers
Before the season started, Rob Pelinka said he wanted to see how the team performs for the first 30 games before making any trades. The Lakers do not have many trade assets; they have their first-round pick in 2029 and 2031 and some expiring contracts like D’Angelo Russell, Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, and Jalen Hood-Schifino.
With such a limited arsenal of assets, the Lakers cannot get into a bidding war with other teams looking to upgrade their roster. The biggest challenge is finding a center because there are other teams looking for one, and they can offer more than the Lakers. Those are the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and New Orleans Pelicans.
As for guards that can defend? Any team in the league wants them. Will the Lakers be able to get some moves leading up to the trade deadline? We have to wait and see. But, at least per Windhorst’s report, they are internally thinking about it.
