The Lakers made a valiant effort in the playoffs this year, but, in the end, they had no answer for Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, who figured out everything the Lakers threw at them. Looking back, the play of Jokic and Murray obviously propelled the Nuggets to their title, but it was really the support from the other guys that helped push them over the edge.
So as the Lakers navigate this crucial offseason, there is no doubt they will be looking to upgrade some of their role players to bring additional support for LeBron and AD. In a recent article, NBA insider Jovan Buha revealed what some potential trade targets might be, which includes some very familiar names.
“The framework of a deal would likely involve Beasley, Bamba and the No. 17 pick getting exchanged for a starter-level player. The Lakers could also execute a smaller deal with only one of Beasley or Bamba, plus, potentially, the pick. Names around the league that have been linked to the Lakers in recent weeks include Indiana’s Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, Brooklyn’s Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, Toronto’s Gary Trent Jr. and [Washington’s Kristaps Porzingis — just traded], according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publicly.”
Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are both names who came up for the Lakers before, and as recently as last season, they were believed to be headed to L.A. Both are still pacers right now, but either one of them would make sense for the Purple and Gold, who still have one of their prized first-round picks to use on a win-now player.
Regarding the other names like Dorian Finney-Smith and Gary Trent Jr., they might actually be more gettable acquisitions right now for the Lakers, who are already pretty limited in what they can do.
The Lakers Are A Wild Card In The 2023 Offseason
While we all recognize that the Lakers are looking to stay competitive with LeBron and AD next season, the path to building a true title contender is not a simple one for this team. Even still, there are ways to upgrade the roster, and you can bet that Rob Pelinka has already been hard at work figuring out a way to get it done.
In the meantime, the Lakers will have to ensure they keep their options open for the future as they prepare for a world without LeBron James. Either way, expect the Lakers to be very active over the next few weeks, and nobody should be surprised if they decide to make one last splash with this regime.
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