The Los Angeles Lakers have already made one trade this season, shipping out D’Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis to the Brooklyn Nets for wing Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The addition of Finney-Smith is a nice one, as he is a reliable 3-and-D wing the Lakers have needed for some time. However, for all of Russell’s faults, he did fill a role as this team’s most reliable offensive weapon off the bench and a capable creator for himself and others.
The Lakers’ bench was already thin when it came to offensive weapons so losing Russell does leave a hole that has yet to be filled. Gabe Vincent is solid, but doesn’t provide the pop that Russell did, though he is a better defender.
Regardless, adding a point guard off the bench who can provide a boost offensively while also being a secondary creator is something the Lakers could look to add before the trade deadline, and there are some intriguing options out there should the front office explore that route.
Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz
A former top-10 pick in 2018, Collin Sexton has been one of the most consistent players for the Jazz this season. While primarily a starter, he has shown the ability to come off the bench and make an impact in previous years and has all of the tools to be that effective sixth man.
Sexton is averaging 18 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 43% from 3-point range. He is also an excellent athlete and fierce competitor who backs down from no one, and the Lakers could certainly use a bit of that edge.
At $18 million and with another year left on his contract, Sexton is affordable as well. Either Gabe Vincent or Jarred Vanderbilt, along with Jalen Hood-Schifino and Christian Wood, would be enough to match the salary, but he would almost certainly cost the Lakers a first-round pick with his talent and age at just 26 years old.
Malcolm Brogdon, Washington Wizards
Malcolm Brogdon is everything a team wants in a backup point guard. A high IQ player who can create for others, play off the ball as a great shooter and provides excellent defense to boot, Brogdon checks all the boxes. The veteran also has a ton of playoff experience and won’t be nervous under the bright lights.
Brogdon’s shot has struggled this year with the Wizards, but he is a career 38.9% shooter from deep and is a former Sixth Man of the Year, winning the award in 2023. He does bring some injury concerns as he almost always seems to be banged up with minor ailments and has played more than 65 games in a season just twice in his nine-year career.
Brogdon is a bit pricey at $22.5 million and is on an expiring contract. Getting him alone would require the Lakers to include both Vincent and Vanderbilt, though there is also a possibility of making it a more significant trade by also including well-known trade target Jonas Valanciunas.
Lonzo Ball, Chicago Bulls
A very familiar name to Lakers fans, a return to L.A. could be great for Lonzo Ball who undoubtedly fits the criteria the Lakers need in a backup point guard. Obviously, the injury concern is big for Ball, who has returned to the court after missing the last two years, but he is beginning to round into form and might be worth the risk.
Prior to the injuries, Ball had turned into one of the best two-way point guards in the league as an elite defender and creator while also greatly improving as a shooter. If he can get anywhere close to that, Ball would be the perfect addition, capable of fitting in any lineup, playing on or off the ball, and contributing to the team’s defensive identity.
Like Brogdon, Ball is also in the last year of his contract, and at $21.4 million, the Lakers would need to include both Vincent and Vanderbilt or throw in multiple filler contracts such as Hood-Schifino, Wood, Shake Milton, Jaxson Hayes, or Cam Reddish.
Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers
Even though he’s been strictly a starter for the past three years, Anfernee Simons’ skillset screams guard off the bench. He is a dynamic scorer at all three levels and has improved as a creator as well, averaging more than five assists per game in each of the last two seasons.
Simons thrives primarily with the ball in his hand but is an excellent off-ball shooter as well who is a career 38.3% shooter from deep, and while he does have defensive limitations, the Lakers could offset that by putting him in the right lineups.
He would be costly, however, considering his pedigree, age (25 years old), and having another year left on his contract. If the Lakers remain opposed to including Rui Hachimura in a deal, then Vincent, Vanderbilt, and Wood would make the salaries work, and a first-round pick would definitely need to be included.
CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans
CJ McCollum has been on an absolute tear over the past couple of weeks for the injury-riddled Pelicans, who may be looking to tear things down as they currently sit dead last in the Western Conference. Like Simons, McCollum has primarily been a starter in his career but has the tools to be a dynamic option off the bench for a team like the Lakers.
This season, McCollum is averaging 22.7 points while shooting 38% from 3-point range. He can operate on or off the ball and is a great locker-room presence and teammate as well. Defense isn’t his strong suit, but that isn’t a concern as he competes, and his offensive firepower will offset that, and he has plenty of playoff experience as well.
He is the most costly of these potential trade targets at $33 million annually and has another year left on his deal. Getting this trade done would almost certainly require Hachimura to be in the deal, which, combined with Vincent and Hood-Schifino, would match salary along with the necessary draft capital.
