The Los Angeles Lakers have been expected to make a trade since the second week of the season. For the longest time, fans and experts believed the Lakers would move to acquire a third star, preferably a guard. However, Jovan Buha of The Athletic has revealed that the Lakers are reportedly more focused on acquiring a defensive wing before the deadline.
“The Lakers need to establish a semblance of consistency with their performance, energy, effort, and playing rotations. At the same time, they likely need to make a trade or two. The team is putting a greater emphasis on adding a defensive wing by the trade deadline, according to team sources. The issue, of course, is that every team could use another wing. Prospective prices are high.”
The biggest trade rumor for the Lakers has been their continued interest in Dejounte Murray. This includes a reported standing offer for Murray including D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and a 2029 first-round pick being sent to the Hawks. With D’Lo’s improved form in 2024, the noise around this trade has subsided as the Lakers look content with keeping Russell.
The franchise has been linked with various defensive wings as well, with the primary two names being Brooklyn Nets’ forwards Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith.
What Direction Should The Lakers Pursue?
Everyone is watching the deadline like a hawk (no pun intended) to see if the Lakers make a move. They didn’t make the biggest deal last winter but trading Russell Westbrook led to instant results for the franchise with a run to the Conference Finals. Even if they don’t acquire a star, the Lakers’ moves will be compared to what they managed last season.
The Lakers are 26-25, with rumors of LeBron James being traded swirling over the last week. Rich Paul has categorically denied any chance of LeBron switching teams this winter, but the 39-year-old has also refused to give any confirmation on his future with the Lakers as an expiring contract this summer. As a result, the Lakers would look to protect their future draft assets instead of making a short-sighted win-now move just for James to leave in the summer.
Making a move for a 3-and-D forward might be the best way to proceed, especially with Jarred Vanderbilt’s recent injury. Jalen Hood-Schifino, with Gabe Vincent’s contract and a heap of second-round picks, could leave the scope for some improvement, but it won’t be enough to land a difference-maker like Dorian Finney-Smith. It could be fine for a Royce O’Neale deal.
The Lakers can also consider just staying pat and believing in their roster as presently constructed. They’ve shown an ability to beat tough opponents but lose to lottery teams, which does show there is some strength on the team. It’s just a question of Darvin Ham being a good enough coach to extract that version out of the team more consistently.
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