The Los Angeles Lakers are in for a busy trade deadline, and nobody is sure what to expect. With ties to multiple names, Rob Pelinka has several options at his disposal, but change won’t come for free. According to the latest update out of Los Angeles, several players have been put on the block in an effort to make key adjustments this season.
According to Evan Sidery, the Lakers have been openly shopping Dalton Knecht along with $22.5 million worth of contracts from Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber. The market isn’t high for these players, but the idea is to package them together in a deal for a difference-making player.
At 26-16 (fifth in the standings), the Lakers are squarely in the playoff mix out West, but they aren’t nearly on the same level as the Thunder, Spurs, or Nuggets. Besides Luka Doncic and 41-year-old LeBron James, they don’t have enough firepower to keep up with the top contenders, but Rob Pelinka plans to change that.
Without giving up any core players, there’s only so much the Lakers can do, but we already have an idea what Knecht could get them. Last season, in a rescinded trade with the Hornets, the Lakers were able to land Mark Williams, a young and athletic big man with the ability to bolster interior defense and scoring.
With averages of 4.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 43.7% shooting and 31.9% shooting from three, his value isn’t quite as high this season, but he still holds some appeal to younger, rebuilding teams. If he’s not traded as part of a package deal, the Lakers could use him to acquire a veteran star on the minimum.
Gabe Vincent is arguably the highest candidate for trade. The veteran point guard has had a rough season overall with averages of 5.0 points, 0.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.0 blocks per game on 33.3% shooting and 36.1% shooting from three. Still, with a history of success in Miami, some teams might be willing to take a chance on him. Either way, his $11.5 million expiring salary this season is arguably one of the Lakers’ most tradable assets, and the easiest path to adding a rotation player.
It remains to be seen what kind of return the Lakers can get for these players, but they are noted to have an interest in guys like Derrick Jones Jr., Brooklyn Nets wing Terance Mann, Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green, and Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu. If those targets prove too costly, or there are no good offers on their own players, the Lakers may opt to wait until the offseason to make their big move, when LeBron James officially comes off the books.
