If there is one area that is in need of improvement on the Los Angeles Lakers roster, it is the team’s perimeter defense. The Lakers have a couple of players who specialize on that side of the floor such as Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt, but the team has struggled to contain quick, athletic guards for multiple years now and that has continued to be the case this year despite their strong overall start.
That is not lost on the Lakers front office, who have spoken about the desire to make the moves necessary to upgrade the perimeter defense and the team is exploring the trade market looking for answers. One of the best 3-and-D wings in the league is Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans, a First Team All-Defense selection in 2024 who also shoots above 36% from deep in his career.
A player such as Jones would be the perfect addition to the Lakers alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, so it should come as no surprise that he is someone the franchise is eyeing in the trade market, via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype:
“The Los Angeles Lakers are monitoring the trade market for a defensive wing upgrade, league sources told HoopsHype. Among the 3-and-D wing upgrades on their wish list is New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones, league sources say.”
Jones is an athletic and versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and is a legit gamechanger on that side of the floor. It would be safe to say that the Lakers aren’t the only team who would love to acquire him via trade, but that seems unlikely at the moment.
A recent report noted that the Pelicans, despite having one of the worst records in the NBA, are not looking to trade Jones at the moment. It was also noted that even if they were considering trading him, the assets the Lakers could offer in a trade may not be be appealing to them.
Something else to keep in mind is that the Pelicans traded away their 2026 first-round draft pick so the idea of tanking and trying to actively get worse for a better pick does not apply to them. In the end, while the Lakers are surely interested in Jones, it isn’t looking promising that they will actually be able to swing a deal for him.
JJ Redick outlines ideal role players for Lakers
A big reason the Lakers would love to trade for Herb Jones is that he fits the exact type of role player head coach JJ Redick recently outlined would be ideal to surround the team’s star players.
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