The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t made a trade since the 2023 shakeup which brought primarily D’Angelo Russell to the squad for Russell Westbrook, with the roster stagnating over the last two seasons. A need for another shakeup is evident, with team leaders LeBron James and Anthony Davis possibly being upset if they go through another deadline without acquiring winning players.
They’re currently the No. 10 seed in the West with a 14-12 record, headed for their fourth Play-In appearance in the last five seasons, proving that the front office is ok with mediocrity as long as it can sneak them into the Playoffs. In order to help LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Rob Pelinka must start doing his job after being notoriously inactive throughout the 2024 NBA Draft and summer free agency.
In previous years, Pelinka did have a significant asset shortfall to manage due to previous trades, but the Lakers aren’t in that hapless a situation anymore. Let’s take a look at the Lakers’ best trade assets which could help them land a star player to turn around the fortunes of the franchise.
Lakers’ Best Assets Ahead Of February 2025 Trade Deadline
– 2029 First-Round Pick
– 2031 First-Round Pick
– 3 First-Round Pick Swaps (2026, 2028, 2030)
– 5 Second-Round Picks (2025 [LAL, LAC], 2027, 2030, 2031)
– D’Angelo Russell (1-year, $18.6 million)
– Jarred Vanderbilt (4 years, $48.0 million)
– Jalen Hood-Schifino (1-year, $3.8 million)
– Jaxson Hayes (1-year, $2.4 million)
– Christian Wood (1-year, $3.0 million)
– Cam Reddish (1-year, $2.4 million)
– Gabe Vincent (2 years, $22.5 million)
LeBron James and Anthony Davis will not be on the trade market this season unless either star demands to be moved. The franchise has been protecting Austin Reaves in trade talks for years and it seems like they’ve finally accommodated Rui Hachimura as a full-time starter and valuable connective piece for the franchise. These players won’t be on the market, especially if the Lakers are making a push.
The best assets the Lakers have in their arsenal are the two first-round picks in 2029 and 2031 which the franchise can move as an unprotected pick for maximum value. Their future as a competitive franchise is uncertain given their current struggles and the ages of their stars. These picks won’t come into use unless it’s a definite game-changer, like Trae Young if he was on the market.
Clubbing the salaries of Russell, Vincent, and Vanderbilt alongside these picks could net the Lakers a massive return, whether it’s multiple rotational players or a star to complement James and Davis. The risk of a deal like that is incredible but it could lead to massive rewards over the short-term such as a bid for contention this season and maybe the next.
The more likely route the Lakers take with their assets is to try and make marginal moves to fill out their rotation by primarily using their second-round picks. D’Angelo Russell would be intriguing to teams who want a $18.6 million contract on the books but wouldn’t be valuable to most as a winning player.
Moving off the perenially-injured Vanderbilt might not be as challenging given his defensive potential, but that won’t be possible until we see him on the court. Outside of these two, most of the Lakers on the block would be neutral to negative assets.
Wood has been injured this season while Hayes hasn’t been the ideal backup big man for the franchise. Gabe Vincent has been atrocious offensively as a Lakers and the additional two years and $22.5 million on the contract make him a negative asset. Hood-Schifino has shown no signs of progress but could be worth something as a sophomore first-round pick who hasn’t gotten a chance to shine.
The Lakers have reportedly moved on from potential high-profile acquisitions like Jimmy Butler or Brandon Ingram which would have a detrimental salary impact on the franchise, so moving Russell along with minor assets or potentially one of their three first-round pick swaps to land one of the many role-players they’re interested in might be the best way forward.
They have a clear need for reinforcements for their guard depth as well as adding a big man to the roster to support Davis at center.
Reinforcements along the forward line would also be appreciated, with very little depth behind LeBron and Hachimura right now. They could add any player right now and if it’s for disposable pieces like second-round picks and the aforementioned players, the Lakers would be much better off.
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