Nearly at the midway point of the 2019-20 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have the best record in the Western Conference by four games.
While LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the supporting cast have come together quickly, there are still areas for improvement in order to win it all.
However, due to the Davis trade and current salaries, general manager Rob Pelinka is limited in what he can do at the 2019-20 NBA trade deadline.
As a result, the Lakers reportedly do not plan to make any ‘dramatic’ moves heading into Feb. 6, according to Tania Ganguli of Los Angeles Times:
Activity often ramps up league-wide in advance of the trade deadline, but the Lakers are still in a fact-finding mode. A person familiar with the team’s plans said the Lakers, who have the best record in the Western Conference, don’t plan to make any dramatic moves, but would be interested in improving the “fringes” of their team if the right deal arises.
Despite this current mindset, the Lakers are willing to listen to offers:
To that end, the Lakers are willing to listen to offers involving any of their players except LeBron James and Davis, the person said.
As it currently stands, Kyle Kuzma is their most attractive asset, but he only makes $1.97 million in Year 3. While Pelinka reportedly initiated discussions with the Sacramento Kings, there are conflicting reports about their willingness to trade Bogdan Bogdanovic, who will be a restricted free agent.
While the Lakers have also been linked to two stretch power forwards in Marcus Morris and Davis Bertans, the realistic route may be Darren Collison and/or the buyout market. As Collison is considering coming out of retirement, March 1 is a deadline to keep an eye on if no trades are made.
Although the Lakers are a true championship contender, it is encouraging to see Pelinka and company wanting to improve the roster — even if it is minor moves. They are still in need of a playmaking point guard and stretch big man and all of the names tied to them have reflected that up to this point.