The Lakers are down 0-2 against the Thunder, and the series has made the same problem obvious again. This team is too dependent on star creation and not strong enough in the middle of the roster. Luka Doncic being out with a left hamstring strain changes the series, but it does not change the bigger point. Even with Doncic healthy, the Lakers still look behind the Thunder in speed, size, defensive pressure, bench production, and two-way depth.
The numbers from Game 2 were a warning. The Lakers lost 125-107, committed 19 turnovers, gave up 26 points off those turnovers, and were outscored 48-20 by the Thunder bench. The Thunder also produced that separation while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander played only 28 minutes because of foul trouble. That is the part that should bother the Lakers most. The Thunder did not need a perfect game from their MVP-level guard to create distance. Their roster had enough other answers.
The Lakers have a different structure. Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists this season, and the Lakers beat the Rockets in six games without him in the first round. But the Thunder finished 64-18, had the best record in the NBA, and entered this series with a 4-0 season mark against the Lakers. The gap is not only about one injury. It is about roster quality.
The offseason has to be about role players who fit around Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. The Lakers can keep Reaves on his $20.9 million cap hold, use space first, then re-sign him with Bird rights. That is the right order. After the 2026 draft, the 2033 first-round pick can also become tradable under the seven-year rule, but the Stepien rule still blocks reckless consecutive first-round pick movement. Each trade idea below is separate. The same picks are reused because the Lakers would be choosing one path, not making all of these deals.
Here are the seven role players the Lakers should target in the offseason to become true contenders.
7. Quentin Grimes
Unrestricted Free Agent
Quentin Grimes is the lowest target on this list, but he is still useful because he does not cost picks. The Lakers need at least one signing like this. They cannot spend every major asset on one trade and then build the bench with minimum players again. That path creates the same problem: too many weak rotation spots against elite teams.
Grimes averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 75 games this season. He played 29.4 minutes per game, shot 45.0% from the field, 33.4% from 3, and 84.0% from the line, with a 58.5% true shooting mark. The 3-point percentage is not perfect, but the volume is real. He took 5.1 threes per game. That means defenses still have to guard him. He also averaged only 1.8 turnovers, which is important for a team that already has Doncic, James, and Reaves handling the ball.
The contract should be around three years and $48.0 million ($16.0 million per year). If the market is stronger, the Lakers can push closer to three years and $54.0 million. They should not go higher. Grimes is a good rotation guard, not a foundation piece. The value is in getting a playable two-way guard without giving up a first-round pick.
His free-agent situation also makes him simple. Grimes signed the $8.7 million qualifying offer with the 76ers after long negotiations, which put him on track to become an unrestricted free agent in a stronger 2026 market. He averaged 23.0 points per game after the All-Star break last season, so there is more scoring upside than his full-season line shows.
The fit is direct. Grimes can guard the bigger backcourt scorer, take catch-and-shoot threes, attack closeouts, and keep the ball moving. He does not need to run the offense. That is good for the Lakers because Doncic will control the ball, Reaves will create in second-side actions, and James will still have playmaking possessions.
The 76ers finished 45-37 and reached the second round as the No. 7 seed after eliminating the Celtics, so Grimes has also played in serious playoff minutes this season. He is not the main answer, but he gives the Lakers a better guard rotation. That is a real need after watching the Thunder pressure them for two straight games.
6. Andrew Wiggins
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Andrew Wiggins
Miami Heat Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, 2030 first-round pick swap, 2032 second-round pick
Andrew Wiggins is not the most exciting target, but he’s been linked with the Lakers for a long time now. The Lakers need bigger wings who can defend, run the floor, shoot enough, and play without needing plays called for them. Wiggins can still do those things.
Wiggins averaged 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 68 games this season. He played 30.3 minutes per game, shot 47.5% from the field, 41.4% from 3, and 78.4% from the line. He also averaged 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks with a 58.6% true shooting mark. That is strong role-player production if the 3-point shooting is consistent.
The contract is the main issue. Wiggins has a $30.2 million player option for 2026-27. That is expensive for a player who is now more of a fourth option than a primary scorer. The number would reduce the Lakers’ cap flexibility. The Lakers should only do this if the Heat are treating him as a movable salary and not as a premium asset.
The package is fair because the salary changes the price. The Heat would get Dalton Knecht as a young shooter, Jarred Vanderbilt as a defensive forward, Jake LaRavia as salary, a 2030 first-round pick swap, and a 2032 second-round pick. The Heat finished 43-39, ranked 10th in the East, and lost in the play-in, so they have reason to look at cheaper pieces and future flexibility.
For the Lakers, the value is the body type. Wiggins can defend wings, so James does not have to take the hardest forward matchup every night. He can run with Doncic. He can spot up in the corner. He can cut behind help. He can also punish small guards if teams hide them on him.
This is not a star move. Wiggins will not push the Lakers above the Thunder alone. But he would make their rotation more stable. The Lakers are too thin on the wing. They have too many lineups where the opponent can attack one weak defender or ignore one weak shooter. Wiggins reduces that problem.
The risk is cost. If he shoots closer to average from 3, his salary becomes heavy. If he stays around 40.0% from deep, he becomes a useful playoff forward. That is why he is No. 6, not higher. He helps, but he does not solve enough by himself.
5. Nicolas Claxton
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Nicolas Claxton
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, 2026 first-round pick (draft rights), 2031 first-round pick
Nicolas Claxton is a real center target, and the price has to show that. He is not a player the Lakers can get for one weak first-round pick and salary filler. He is a starting center in his prime, on a long-term contract, with defensive range and passing value.
Claxton averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 69 games this season. He played 27.8 minutes per game, shot 57.1% from the field, and had a 59.2% true shooting mark. He also averaged 2.4 offensive rebounds and only 1.4 turnovers. That is useful for a center who touches the ball as a passer.
The assist number is the key. Claxton is not only a lob finisher. He can catch in the short roll and make the next pass. That matters with Doncic because playoff defenses will trap him, send help early, and force the ball out of his hands. The Lakers need a center who can make those possessions continue instead of turning them into a bad shot or a turnover.
His contract also works better than it looks. Claxton signed a four-year, $97.0 million deal, but the salary declines. His 2026-27 salary starts at $23.1 million, with a decrease every year after. That is still real money, but it is not extreme for a starting center if he gives defense and playmaking.
The Nets finished 20-62 and 13th in the East. That is why the Lakers should call. Claxton is 27 and useful now. The Nets are not close enough to need a veteran center on that timeline. A package with Knecht, Thiero, the 2026 first-round pick as draft rights, and the 2031 first-round pick is a serious offer. It gives the Nets young players and future upside instead of pretending Claxton has little value.
For the Lakers, Claxton would change the defensive setup. He can play higher in pick-and-roll coverage, switch in some matchups, recover to the rim, and move better than most centers. That gives JJ Redick more defensive options. The Lakers cannot keep choosing between protecting the rim and guarding the 3-point line. Claxton helps with both.
The weakness is shooting. Claxton does not space the floor. That means the Lakers need shooting at both forward spots if he starts. But Doncic teams do not need every big man to shoot. They need the center to screen, dive, finish, pass, and defend. Claxton does enough of those things to be one of the better trade targets on the board.
4. Herbert Jones
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Herbert Jones
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, 2026 first-round pick (draft rights), 2030 first-round pick swap, 2031 first-round pick
Herbert Jones is a different type of target. He does not fix the Lakers’ offense. He may even make spacing more difficult if the rest of the lineup is not built well. But he fixes a defensive problem that has hurt the Lakers all season: they do not have a true stopper for elite perimeter players.
Jones averaged 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists this season while shooting 38.3% from the field. That is the concern. The Lakers cannot pretend he is a normal 3-and-D wing right now. The offense is not strong enough. If they trade for him, they need to accept the trade-off.
The defensive record is why he is still this high. Jones was All-Defensive First Team in 2023-24. He had 105 steals and a career-high 62 blocks that season, and he has averaged 1.6 steals per game across his career. He also signed a three-year, $68.0 million extension, giving the Pelicans a long-term contract with a player option for 2029-30.
That contract makes him expensive. The Pelicans do not have to move him. Marc Stein reported that the Pelicans have been resistant to trade interest in both Jones and Trey Murphy III, and the Pelicans would want a Desmond Bane-type offer for either player. That is a high bar. The Grizzlies got four future first-round picks and a first-round pick swap in the Bane deal, so the Lakers cannot offer a light package and expect a serious answer.
The package here is still below a full Bane-style return, but it is solid for a lesser player than Bane. Dalton Knecht gives shooting. Adou Thiero gives another young athlete. The 2026 first-round pick gives the Pelicans an immediate draft asset. The 2031 first-round pick and 2030 swap give them future upside. Vanderbilt gives defensive value back, but Jones is a better and more flexible defender.
The Pelicans finished 26-56 and 11th in the West, so the Lakers should at least test their direction. A team with that record has to decide how long it wants to keep expensive role players around a losing core.
For the Lakers, Jones would take the best perimeter scorer every night. Reaves would get easier assignments. James would save energy. Doncic would be protected more often. That is not small. Against the Thunder, one defender like Jones does not solve everything, but he gives the Lakers a real first line of resistance.
The offensive fit is why he is not higher. The defensive fit is why he has to be on the list.
3. Tari Eason
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Tari Eason
Houston Rockets Receive: Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, 2026 first-round pick (draft rights), 2030 first-round pick swap
Tari Eason is the younger, more aggressive swing. He is not as proven as Jones. He is not as stable as Wiggins. He is not as direct of a positional answer as Claxton or Walker Kessler. But the Lakers need his kind of player. They need more force, more athleticism, more offensive rebounding, and more defensive activity.
Eason averaged 10.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 25.8 minutes across 60 games this season. He did not shoot well overall, finishing at 41.6% from the field, but the full profile still has value because he creates possessions without plays. He runs the floor, attacks the glass, deflects passes, guards multiple positions, and brings pressure into second units.
The Rockets have control because Eason is a restricted free agent. Eason becomes restricted after failing to agree to an extension last offseason, and the Rockets can match any offer, so this is not an easy target.
The Lakers have two possible paths. The first is an offer sheet around four years and $80.0 million. That is high for a player who averaged 10.5 points, but that is the point. A normal offer probably gets matched. A painful offer at least forces the Rockets to think. The second path is a sign-and-trade, which would require cap planning because sign-and-trades bring hard-cap issues. That can still be done if the Lakers map the offseason in the right order.
The sign-and-trade package gives the Rockets Knecht, Thiero, the 2026 first-round pick, and a 2030 swap. That is not cheap for a player who has not become a full-time starter, but the Rockets finished 52-30 and fifth in the West. They are not rebuilding. They need useful talent back if they lose someone from their rotation.
Eason fits Doncic because he does not need the ball. Doncic-led teams need three types around him: shooters, vertical bigs, and forwards who do the work without touches. Eason is in that third group. He would defend, rebound, run, and attack bent defenses.
This is a roster identity move. The Lakers have enough slow possessions. They have enough players who need structure. Eason gives them chaos in a good way. The Thunder have beaten them with waves of speed and pressure. Eason helps close that athletic gap.
2. Walker Kessler
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Walker Kessler
Utah Jazz Receive: Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2026 first-round pick (draft rights), 2030 first-round pick swap, 2032 second-round pick
Walker Kessler is the best center fit if the Lakers want a pure rim protector next to Doncic. Claxton is more flexible on the perimeter and more advanced as a passer, but Kessler gives the Lakers the simpler answer: size, rim protection, vertical finishing, rebounding, and paint presence.
Kessler played only five games this season because he needed surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. That is the risk. Before the injury, he averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.4 steals while shooting 70.3% from the field. The sample is small, but the player type is clear. He lives around the rim and converts high-efficiency looks.
The fit with Doncic is almost automatic. Doncic has always made rim-running centers better because he creates angles that most guards do not see. He can hit the lob, the pocket pass, the seal, and the late dump-off. Kessler would give him a real vertical target. That matters because the Lakers cannot ask every possession to be a difficult pull-up, a Reaves drive, or a James post touch.
Kessler would also help the defense. The Lakers need a back-line player who changes shots. They need someone who allows perimeter defenders to pressure the ball without panic behind them. Kessler is not perfect in space, but he gives real paint protection. That is something the Lakers do not have at a high enough level.
The Jazz finished 22-60 and 15th in the West. They now have Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., and that makes the contract question important. If Kessler gets an offer in the four-year, $88.0 million to $96.0 million range, the Jazz have to decide if paying a non-shooting center is right for their expensive cap space.
The trade package is serious because restricted free agents are hard to steal. Knecht gives shooting. Thiero gives athletic upside. Vanderbilt brings a better defensive forward. The 2026 first-round pick gives a current draft asset. The 2030 swap and 2032 second-round pick add future value. That is a real price for a center coming off surgery, but the Lakers would be paying for the exact role they lack.
The injury has to be the first question. If the medicals are not strong, the Lakers should not force it. But if Kessler is healthy, he is the most natural center target on this list. The Lakers need a paint defender and a lob finisher. He is both.
1. Trey Murphy III
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Trey Murphy III
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, 2026 first-round pick (draft rights), 2028 first-round pick swap, 2031 first-round pick, 2033 first-round pick
Trey Murphy III is the best target because he changes the Lakers’ ceiling. The other names fix specific holes. Grimes helps the guard rotation. Wiggins gives wing size. Claxton gives center defense and passing. Jones gives elite perimeter defense. Eason gives athletic pressure. Kessler gives rim protection. Murphy gives the Lakers a real big wing scorer who also fits without the ball.
Murphy averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in 66 games this season. He played 35.5 minutes per game, shot 47.0% from the field, 37.9% from 3, and 88.6% from the line. He made 3.2 threes per game on 8.6 attempts and finished with a 61.3% true shooting mark. That is not normal role-player production. That is high-level wing production with real volume.
That is why the trade price has to be painful. Murphy is starting a four-year, $112.0 million extension, and that deal was already in place when he suffered a shoulder injury last season. A 25-year-old wing with this type of production, shooting volume, and long-term contract does not get moved for one first-round pick and salary.
The Pelicans’ stance also makes this difficult. Stein has reported resistance to moving both Murphy and Jones, and that means multiple first-round picks and swaps. It means real pain. The Lakers would need to offer three first-round picks, a swap, Knecht, Thiero, and salary. Even that may not be enough.
The reason to still try is simple. Murphy fits every important player on the Lakers. Doncic would create open threes for him. James would find him in transition and on cuts. Reaves would get more space because defenses could not help off Murphy the same way they help off weaker shooters. Murphy can score 20 without needing the whole offense built around him.
He also gives the Lakers a player type they do not have. Big wings who shoot, run, attack closeouts, and survive defensively are the most expensive role players in the league. The Thunder have several players who can defend, move, shoot, and keep the game fast. The Lakers do not. That is why the Thunder look like a deeper and more modern team.
The Pelicans missed the playoffs again, so their front office has to choose a direction. Keeping Murphy makes sense because he is young and productive. But if they want a real asset reset, the Lakers have to be ready with their strongest possible offer.
Murphy is not a lockdown defender like Herb Jones, and the Lakers would still need a center after this deal if Deandre Ayton doesn’t opt in. That is the downside. But he would change the main rotation more than anyone else here. He would give the Lakers a third offensive weapon who does not take the ball away from Doncic. He would raise their shooting level. He would give them size on the wing.
This is the difficult move. It is also the best move. If the Lakers want to become more than a good team built around stars, they need one more high-end two-way piece. Murphy is the closest thing to that on this list.
