The Los Angeles Lakers used the 2023 NBA trade deadline to radically reshape their roster.
It’s hard to envision a sequel playing out.
While the Lakers absolutely could—and arguably should—do some wheeling and dealing ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET cutoff, they may not be nearly as active and aggressive as they were this time a year ago. To gauge what could be in the works, let’s dive into the latest rumblings around the Purple and Gold.
At times this season, the Lakers have been connected to some of the biggest names on the market, including Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray. With the deadline mere hours away, though, it doesn’t seem as if they’ll make a trade of that significance.
Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported there is “mounting noise around the league that the Lakers aren’t expected to pursue a major upgrade before the deadline.” They’ve had talks regarding Murray and Bruce Brown, per Fischer, but they may not want to cash in a top trade chip now when there really aren’t difference-makers available.
A deal isn’t impossible, of course. The Lakers could have interest in Murray if they could acquire him for “their initial offer of [D’Angelo] Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, the 2029 first-round pick (preferably protected) and additional draft compensation,” per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha.
Then again, if the Atlanta Hawks wanted that package, the deal would probably be done already. You can never say never in this league, but nothing suggests a major deal is coming.
While the Lakers seem unlikely to land one of the top players on the market, they could have interest in the next tier of trade targets.
Two-way wings Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale have both caught the Lakers’ attention, per Fischer. So, too, have their Brooklyn Nets teammates Spencer Dinwiddie—one would assume only as a Russell replacement—and Lonnie Walker IV.
A marginal move that beefs up the supporting cast feels like the right direction for L.A. to take at this deadline.
A defense-first wing with a reliable three-ball could work his way into a significant role for this club, but he wouldn’t cut too deep into what’s a rather shallow pool of Lakers trade chips. L.A. could, in theory at least, score a minor upgrade now and still have enough to chase a major addition down the road.
There are a number of different ways to read the Lakers’ apparent reluctance to chase the biggest names on the market. Maybe they don’t sense there’s an available player capable of bringing this group into championship form. Perhaps they don’t feel they need that big of a lift. Maybe L.A.’s discussions to this point have let the front office know it lacks the assets needed to get a deal of that magnitude done.
Any—or all—of those things could be true, but another option is the most fascinating of the bunch. Perhaps the Lakers sense something far more significant could be possible sooner rather than later.
the bunch. Perhaps the Lakers sense something far more significant could be possible sooner rather than later.
According to CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter, one of the reasons the Lakers are reluctant to give up prime trade chips now is “the belief within the organization they could have a chance to acquire Donovan Mitchell this summer.” If L.A. waits to make a trade until the offseason, it would gain the ability to send out a total of three first-round picks (as opposed to the one it can shop around now).
Mitchell is clearly a different caliber of player from those who are currently available, and he’s exactly the kind of high-end shot-creator and scorer this perimeter group could really use. He’d be a great fit with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, helping to relieve some of their offensive burden while also benefiting from the defensive protection they
