The Lakers find themselves in an interesting position as the trade deadline nears.
On one hand, they clearly need upgrades to the roster if they want to compete this season. The lack of shooting and perimeter defense are glaring holes that will be fatal flaws at some point come playoff time.
However, they also have a lot of flexibility in the upcoming offseason, which means they are being deliberate in the type of player they are targeting. In essence, they are not looking for short-term solutions,
but players who can be part of the long-term plan.
Taking that into account, the pool of players that fall into those categories is significantly lessened as the Lakers look around the league. One name that could potentially come into focus is a former foe in Michael Porter Jr.
On Saturday, John Hollinger of The Athletic reported, while writing about potential Ja Morant suiters, that, according to a league source, MPJ was almost certainly going to be dealt from the Nets this season.
With one trusted league source telling me that Michael Porter Jr. is a lock to move by the deadline so the Nets can sell high on his career year, it makes sense for the Nets to figure out who will be the centerpiece of their franchise a year from now. Remember, Brooklyn owes a pick swap to Houston in 2027 and thus has no incentive to tank next season. They need some players.
This season, MPJ is averaging a gaudy 25.9 points per game in Brooklyn, though it’s coming on the same efficiency as previous seasons. Effectively, he’s had more opportunities and is scoring at the same rate as before.
That’s to take nothing away from his on-court skillset, though. He was a valuable piece of Denver’s title-winning team. He is an elite scorer for his size, is rebounding at a career-best rate and also is flashing some potential as a playmaker.
At 27 years old, he’s someone who could be part of the long-term plan and offer potential value in the short-term, too. But is he someone the Lakers should pursue?
The first issue would be the asking price. A wing in his prime who is an elite scorer is going to come at a high price. It would certainly cost at least one first round pick and likely another pick. That alone is going to make it challenging.
On top of that, MPJ is making $38.3 million this year, which means to trade for him, the Lakers would likely have to do a 3-for-1 deal just to make the money work. So, you’re looking at two picks and three players just to even make the deal feasible.
It’s quickly, then, becoming a complicated trade that either uses all of the Lakers’ assets or requires a third team to get involved.
None of this is to also mention the off-court drama that will come with MPJ, too. Last summer, he spent the offseason saying some of the most outrageous and occasionally problematic things on just about any podcast that would have him, including his own.
Add all of it up and it’s a price the Lakers probably shouldn’t be paying. He’s not a perfect fit and a 3-and-D wing — he’s definitely only the first half of that — and he comes at a high price.
He’s a name worth looking into, but not worth pulling the trigger on.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
