The Los Angeles Lakers, at some point this season, might want to bring in new pieces to surround the core of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James. L.A. is 17-7 through 24 games, but there are some troubling statistics — especially on the defensive end — that show that perhaps the team is overachieving in the early part of the season.
Many within the Lakers, including head coach JJ Redick, seem to be aware of that. So with that, the Lakers may look to improve. When they do that, they’ll be very limited in the assets they can trade.
Any deal made before the trade deadline can only include the players currently on the roster and either the 2031 or 2032 first-round pick. At one point, those two picks had arguably even more value than the 2027 and 2029 first-rounders that were traded away in the Russell Westbrook and Doncic deals.
And because of that Doncic trade, the 2031 and 2032 picks may have decreased in value, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic:
According to league sources, that future Lakers pick, which could be in 2031 or 2032, is less valuable than it was viewed both before the Luka Dončić trade and since Mark Walter’s acquisition of the franchise. The belief is that since Walter has proven to be an effective owner with the Los Angeles Dodgers, that he and whoever he entrusts the franchise to will, at minimum, keep it from the kind of freefall that would truly make that future first-round pick less of a lottery ticket.
This is a double-edged sword for the Lakers. On one hand, the rumored decrease in value on the 2031 and 2032 firsts show that the Lakers are in a stable place and are likely to be good for a long time, something that wasn’t necessarily true prior to the Doncic trade and Reaves’ ascension. With the future flexibility they have and a star duo, L.A. is in a great spot for a post-LeBron world.
On the other hand, that means improving this year’s team will be all the more difficult. The Lakers need to do something if they want to be considered serious contenders this season, but might not be able to make that move if their 2031 pick can’t net them a difference-maker anymore the way it once could.
It remains to be seen if that will change the Lakers approach this season.
LeBron James discusses how Lakers can improve perimeter defense
The Lakers are off to a 17-7 start to the 2025-26 campaign. But they are not content with where they are at, especially on the defensive end.
They have been one of the worst defenses in the NBA all season long, ranking 21st in defensive rating. The numbers get even worse, though, when focusing on the perimeter and fast-break opportunities. L.A. is the fifth-worst team in the league guarding the 3-point line, are 24th in opponent points off turnovers and 23rd in opponent fast-break points.
The numbers aren’t any better since James returned to the lineup. Since Nov. 18, the Lakers are 28th in defensive rating, 30th in opponent 3-point percentage and 30th in opponent fast-break points. These are very discouraging numbers despite the Lakers’ winning ways. And LeBron James spoke about what can be fixed on the perimeter.
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