As the final hours of the 2026 trade deadline approach, the Los Angeles Lakers are operating under clear internal priorities rather than chasing noise. According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, the front office has narrowed its focus to two specific objectives that will determine whether this deadline is viewed as productive or another missed opportunity.
Speaking on his podcast, Buha outlined a straightforward framework. The Lakers are not trying to solve every flaw on the roster in one frantic move. Instead, they are prioritizing clarity and sequencing around their new core.
“I believe there should be two objectives for the Lakers at the 2026 trade deadline. Objective number one is acquiring a long term starter next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, likely a frontcourt starter, be it a center or a 3 and D wing. I think that would be a success of a deadline.”
“The Lakers have a lot of needs. I don’t see a realistic move or even a couple of moves that address all of them, but if they could walk away from this deadline with the center of the future or the 3-and-D wing of the future, I think that would constitute a success.”
“But if they don’t do that, the second thing for me is then you need to upgrade the Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht spots in the rotation. You need to trade at least two, if not all three of those guys. I think at a minimum, the Lakers need to do a small move.”
“And if they just stand pat entirely and don’t do anything, that’s putting so much risk on the 2026 offseason and nailing that, as I’ve talked about, where if you don’t nail that, it’s a failure. And it is a disaster start to the Luka tenure.”
The first and most important objective is landing a long-term starter next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Ideally, that player comes in the frontcourt. Buha specifically pointed to two archetypes the Lakers value most: a center of the future like Jarrett Allen or a legitimate three-and-D wing like Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones, who can start for years, not just survive a playoff series.
The Lakers are fully aware they have multiple needs, but Buha stressed that walking away from the deadline with one foundational piece would constitute success, even if other holes remain.
If that first goal proves unattainable, Buha believes the Lakers must still act. Standing completely pat is not an option. That brings the second objective into focus: upgrading the back end of the rotation. Buha specifically mentioned the need to move on from at least two, if not all three, of Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, and Dalton Knecht.
The danger, as Buha framed it, comes if the Lakers do nothing. In that scenario, the organization would be placing enormous pressure on the 2026 offseason to deliver multiple high-impact results. If that summer fails to produce either a star or meaningful upgrades, Buha described it plainly as a disastrous start to the Luka era from a roster-building standpoint.
Buha also clarified that he is not advocating for reckless aggression. The Lakers have already sat out too many recent trade cycles, but that does not mean they should sacrifice long-term flexibility for a cosmetic win. He believes the team should be willing to put its lone available first-round pick on the table, especially if it brings back a younger starter or rotation player on a reasonable contract.
What he remains skeptical of is the idea that the Lakers can completely rebuild a contender in one offseason without laying some groundwork now.
The Lakers have already missed out on two of their targets in De’Andre Hunter and Keon Ellis, but they do have a few options like DeMar DeRozan, Nicolas Claxton, or Michael Porter Jr.
The Lakers could also explore an alternative route by trading Deandre Ayton and Dalton Knecht to acquire Celtics big man Neemias Queta and sharpshooter Sam Hauser, or by targeting Daniel Gafford in a potential deal with the Mavericks.
Ultimately, these two objectives reflect a broader philosophy. The Lakers are not searching for a headline. They are trying to align the roster timeline with Doncic while avoiding another year of paralysis. Whether through a foundational starter or incremental rotation upgrades, the message internally is clear: inactivity is the one outcome they cannot afford.
