The Los Angeles Lakers made a controversial decision to stand pat as the trade deadline came and went. Many teams around them actively worked on improving their roster but the Lakers didn’t find any reasonable upgrades for the roster that’s been 27-25 this season.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka spoke to the media ahead of the game against the Nuggets and revealed that he had a conversation with LeBron James before the deadline. Pelinka claims LeBron told him that he loved the players on the roster and was optimistic about this group in the future.
“The last conversation I had with him was that he was focused on the guys in the locker room and making them the best players and teammates they can be. He said after our last game, ‘I love these guys.’ He knows as our leader and captain that building those guys up and getting the best version of those guys is important to the run we will make.”
"The last conversation I had with him was that he was focused on the guys in the locker room and making them the best players and teammates he can be. He said after our last game, 'I love these guys.'"
Rob Pelinka on conversations with LeBron James ahead of the NBA trade… pic.twitter.com/tF1rXJXwYB
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 9, 2024
Pelinka also seemed optimistic about the chances of Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent to return to the lineup before the end of the season. He also openly said that the team will be exploring buyout market additions, with the best names available set to be the likes of Lakers trade target Spencer Dinwiddie, Killian Hayes, Joe Harris, and maybe even Kyle Lowry.
Even though Pelinka is telling us LeBron is happy, he must be a little upset. Teams ahead of the Lakers made moves to reinforce their roster, with the Mavericks and Suns making notable moves. With the Lakers chasing teams like these, they’ll have to find the strength to succeed from within and climb out of the No. 9 seed.
Did The Lakers Make A Mistake?
Standing pat was a bold move by the Lakers, but has generated a lot of fan ire already. After months of teasing fans with linked moves to acquire either Dejounte Murray or Zach LaVine, the Lakers came up empty as both the Hawks and Bulls decided to make no changes at the deadline.
LA couldn’t fork out the draft capital to get into the fire sale that the Pistons and Hornets were having, which will force them to be aggressive on the buyout market. But given the caliber of players available for trade, it’s not surprising to see the Lakers stick with their roster. Sending out all their second-round picks or their 2029 first-round pick for additions like Bojan Bogdanovic wouldn’t have changed the ceiling of this team.
Some high-quality players are expected to be on the buyout market, with the Lakers already pursuing Spencer Dinwiddie. Spence is having a down year, averaging 12.6 points and 6.0 assists with the Nets. But he’s an LA boy who was an integral playoff piece for the Dallas Mavericks in 2022.
The Lakers have to fight off competition to get Dinwiddie, but getting him in the buyout is a better outcome than sending heaps of assets for a player with a similar talent level.
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