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With a move at the trade deadline and a signing in the days after, the Lakers’ roster appears to be set.
LA only made one trade this year, sending Gabe Vincent to the Hawks in exchange for Luke Kennard. Instead of looking to the buyout market for another player, the Lakers opted to give
G League standout Kobe Bufkin a two-year contract.
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask are you pleased with the Lakers’ trade deadline activity?
The argument for being happy with the Lakers’ moves is that they did improve their roster.
The Lakers make 34.9% of their shots from beyond the arc, which is 19th in the NBA. By adding Kennard, who is shooting 49.7% from 3-point range, they turned a struggling Vincent into an elite shooter.
And Bufkin joining the Lakers gives them another scoring guard who has room to develop. Since he was a member of South Bay, they have the insider knowledge on what he can do and understand his potential. By adding Kennard and Bufkin, the Lakers improved their shooting.
If you are displeased by these moves, it’s likely because the Lakers got a couple of solid guys, but it’s not enough.
LA is still closer to being a play-in team than a contender in the West. These upgrades are an improvement, but is it enough to usurp the Nuggets, Wolves and the defending champion Thunder? Probably not.
Even Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka struggled to explain the Lakers’ trade deadline moves. He redefined aggression as not doing anything, which didn’t really help his case.
And while Bufkin is a good, young prospect, wouldn’t it have been better if the Lakers got a bona fide NBA player with their last roster spot? Has Bufkin shown that he’s a better option than, say, Cam Thomas or Haywood Highsmith?
For fans unhappy, it’s because the Lakers have Luka Dončić in his prime, LeBron James still at an All-Star level, and a forever-improving Austin Reaves and the front office didn’t execute a deal that gave them enough help to have a legitimate shot at a title.
But what do you think? Are you happy with the moves since LA did improve, and you see the big picture that the Lakers kept their assets and optionality for a big summer?
Or, did you just want to see more traditional aggressiveness and find yourself struggling to be excited about adding just one rotation player when so much more is needed?
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
