While trades can happen all season long, the options open up considerably for teams on Dec. 15 when players who were free agents this summer become trade-eligible.
There have already been rumors swirling about franchise players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, and LaMelo Ball possibly being moved, and that will only intensify as we get closer to the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
Before Laker fans try to figure out a way for LA to land yet another generational talent, they should listen to what
NBA insider Zach Lowe has to say.
On a recent episode of “The Zach Lowe Show,” he stated that a small trade is far more likely than a blockbuster move in the middle of the season for the Lakers.
“I think the Lakers are, like there’s been this dichotomy of either the Lakers stand pat or they try to make some crazy Giannis trade that involves Reaves and all their picks. I think there’s a middle ground where the Lakers, there’s some buzz about could they sort of make a fringey trade to try to upgrade this roster. I think as this new ownership comes in, I think they’re trying to maximize this team.”
Despite the Lakers acquiring Luka Dončić last year, trades like that are rare, especially in the middle of a season. Can Giannis, AD, or LaMelo get moved right now? Sure, but it’s unlikely.
And even if they are changing teams, the Lakers won’t exactly be the most logical place to go.
LA has a lot of money coming off their books next summer. That kind of flexibility is desirable when you have a generational talent like Luka and are trying to open up a new championship window with him.
Making a rash decision here could ruin any hopes of improvement in the summer, and that has to be considered. Also, all superstars have big contracts, and matching salaries will be a challenge.
LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, has already made it clear that LeBron will likely remain in LA. With James having a no-trade clause and the Lakers themselves stating they’d love for him to retire as a Laker, fans shouldn’t be using his $52 million salary in their delusional trades.
So, with salaries being a challenge to match and the Lakers currently being a top seed in the West, expect a move in the margins more than a deal that rocks the basketball world.
What the Lakers truly need right now is a 3-and-D player, and that will likely be the focus this trade season. That’s also the type of player every NBA team covets, so we’ll see if President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka can find a way to make a move while not jeopardizing the team’s future chances at bigger moves.
If the Lakers make improvements in the margins, they can optimize their team and give themselves a chance to compete against the Thunder now and reassess things in the summer with a ton of cap space and their superstar locked up for years to come.
So, it might not be a boring trade season for the Lakers, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The team is good, and if they make the right moves, they can get even better. And that doesn’t necessarily require a massive roster shake-up to get done.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
