The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a terrible season. Missing out on the playoffs entirely, the Purple and Gold are desperately trying to improve their roster in the offseason. While they have made some decent free agent signings, they haven’t been able to pull off any trades so far.
Given how much the Lakers have already given up on bringing in players like Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, there is a massive dearth of assets with the franchise right now. Not only are they lacking a young star who is a worthy trade asset, they have a dearth of first-round picks as well.
With the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis seemingly fit for the upcoming season, 2020 NBA champions are in a win-now mode and, given how desperate they are to change their roster, they might have to give up their existing draft capital to achieve this.
Linked to moves from Brooklyn Nets and the Indiana Pacers, the Lakers either want a direct Westbrook replacement like Kyrie Irving or are thinking of bringing in Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. While the rumors have been going on for a while now, any move has failed to materialize as the Lakers are unwilling to give up both of their future first-round picks.
In a recent report, NBA insider Marc Stein claimed that the Lakers might have to give up both their picks in order to improve their roster.
“Seemingly no one wants to make a trade with L.A. without getting back both of the Lakers’ two first-round picks they’re able to trade… The Lakers’ well-chronicled lack of trade assets, meanwhile, has scuttled their attempts to pry Irving away from the Nets or even complete one of the fallback trades they’ve discussed, such as with Indiana to acquire Myles Turner and Buddy Hield (or Hield solo).”
“The Lakers, to this point, have shown a willingness to surrender only one of the two … and, depending on the trade partner, they figure to seek protections on that pick rather than sending it out unprotected.”
The Lakers have already given up a lot to bring in a team full of superstars. While giving up more picks might be detrimental in the longer run, keeping the existing roster only for mediocre results will be worse. Given their situation, the Purple and Gold might have to go all-in for a trade and finally improve their roster.
