As the NBA trade deadline approaches, it has become clear that the Los Angeles Lakers need to make more moves if they want to compete for a championship.
Rob Pelinka’s recent acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith was a good one, but the team has still be mostly mediocre in recent weeks. The Lakers currently sit in sixth in the West so are very much in the mix, which means one or two good trades could vault them into contender status.
LeBron James said as much after the team’s recent loss to the L.A. Clippers, stating that they have no margin for error as currently constructed. James has never been shy to talk about when he feels his team needs to make a big move, especially around this time of year.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic though, that big move may not be coming before the deadline on Feb. 6:
As The Athletic reported after the Finney-Smith trade, the Lakers remain active on the trade market in pursuit of upgrades, according to team and league sources. They continue to evaluate their roster and are cautiously optimistic that Jarred Vanderbilt’s looming return will give them clarity as to which positions and skills they need most. With just over two weeks remaining until the deadline, though, it’s time to assess whether this group is running out of time.
The sense around the league, when talking to rival scouts and front-office personnel, is that standing pat or making a half-measure trade (likely one or two second-round picks) is more likely than the Lakers going all-in and trading both of their future first-round picks that can be moved. That’s dependent, of course, on the available players, asking prices and the team’s performance through the deadline.
If the Lakers do make a trade, they are expected to prioritize the center and point guard positions:
Around the league, the expectation is the Lakers will prioritize adding either a big or another ballhandler, assuming Vanderbilt’s return goes well and considering the lack of available two-way wings in Los Angeles’ price and asset range.
Pelinka typically makes moves when they are least expected so that is obviously possible between now and the trade deadline. The Lakers have two first-round picks and two second-round picks that are available to be trade and they could go in a variety of different directions.
If this report is true though then perhaps a smaller move that doesn’t include first-round picks is on the horizon so the Lakers can maintain flexibility moving forward and not put all of their chips into the middle of the table.
JJ Redick makes stunning admission about Lakers roster
LeBron James wasn’t the only one to speak about the Lakers’.roster deficiencies as head coach JJ Redick also recently stated bluntly that the team doesn’t have any margin for error on a nightly basis.
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