The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves at a crossroads ahead of the February 6th trade deadline. Despite holding two, and potentially three, first-round picks they could leverage for a significant trade, the organization appears hesitant to part with those valuable assets. Instead, according to Lakers insider Jovan Buha on the “Hoops Tonight” podcast, the team is reportedly leaning toward pursuing smaller deals involving second-round picks rather than making a blockbuster move.
“The recent intel I’ve been getting is that, they are more likely to do a smaller deal with one or two second-round picks than actually using a first-round pick or let alone both first-round picks.”
“I think part of that is the market right now. If you look at the types of guys that have moved, it’s been those fringe starter, high-level bench guys, the Schroeders, DFS, D-Lo, Nick Richards. So I think there will be better players that move around the deadline, but right now teams are really hesitant to move first-round picks in general.”
“Now I don’t agree with that strategy. I think if you’re the Lakers like we’ve talked about it several times over the past year, you gotta go for it.”
“You have 18 months potentially with LeBron and AD left, and I think you need to make the most of it, put the picks on the table, go take a bigger swing. But the recent intel I’ve heard, it seems to be treading toward them leaning more toward making a smaller deal than a bigger one.
Buha pointed out that the trade market has so far favored fringe starters and high-level bench players, such as Dennis Schroder, Dorian Finney-Smith, and D’Angelo Russell, rather than star-caliber players. With teams reluctant to move first-round picks, the Lakers seem prepared to follow suit, a decision Buha disagrees with.
The Lakers are 5th in the Western Conference with a 22-17 record, sitting 11 games behind the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder. The team has shown flashes of brilliance this season, with LeBron James continuing to defy Father Time at age 40 in his 22nd season.
Anthony Davis is putting up dominant numbers, and Austin Reaves has emerged as a reliable contributor. Despite this, the roster still has holes, particularly in terms of depth and perimeter shooting, which must be addressed to contend in the tightly contested Western Conference.
The Lakers already made a notable move this season, acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith, a versatile 3-and-D wing, in exchange for D’Angelo Russell and a package of second-round picks. The addition of Finney-Smith addressed some defensive concerns, but the Lakers still need more firepower to keep up with juggernauts like the Nuggets and Phoenix Suns.
With less than three weeks until the trade deadline, time is of the essence for the Lakers. The team has a stockpile of draft assets, including two first-round picks and potentially a third, but appears more inclined to save those picks for future moves. Instead, they seem focused on smaller trades involving second-round selections, which could bring in role players to bolster depth.
However, this conservative approach could backfire. LeBron James’s age and Anthony Davis’s injury history make it imperative to go all-in now. Passing up on first-round picks to pursue a bigger fish could mean squandering one of their final opportunities to win another title with this core.
The Lakers face a delicate balancing act between preserving their future and maximizing their present. While small deals involving second-round picks can fill gaps, the team must carefully weigh the opportunity cost of not utilizing their first-round picks to pursue a difference-making player. As the trade deadline approaches, the Lakers’ decision-making will shape the remainder of their season—and possibly their championship aspirations.
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