The Los Angeles Lakers will be active on the phones from now until the NBA trade deadline on February 6, looking for ways to upgrade their roster for a chance at contention. The franchise has been linked to many stars around the NBA but their level of commitment to making a deal is unclear.
Franchise stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis want to see some deals be made to lighten their load and make the Lakers believable contenders this season. However, GM Rob Pelinka is still uncertain about committing more future assets to a team that might be more than one move away from contention.
The answer lies in the middle somewhere. There are deals that the Lakers should prioritize making while staying away from some that might cause more harm than good. Let's look at some of the bad deals that could be lurking around the market.
Brandon Ingram
Nov 16, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Potential Trade
Lakers Receive: Brandon Ingram, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Daniel Theis
Pelicans Receive: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAL)
The potential trade is the absolute best-case scenario for the Lakers, who essentially offer up matching contracts to take Brandon Ingram off the Pelicans. New Orleans is looking to trade Ingram desperately ahead of his 2025 free agency as they don't intend on extending his contract.
Ingram is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists this season. He could be a great offensive addition and be a true wing scorer who can complement LeBron well with his underrated on-ball playmaking as well. Despite that, acquiring Ingram would weaken the Lakers by giving up Vanderbilt and Vincent's defensive contributions.
In addition, the Lakers will be left holding the bag for his contract in the summer and will need to extend him on a long-term pricey deal or be left with limited assets. This may seem attractive on paper but it's a deal the Lakers need to stay away from.
Kyle Kuzma
Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) makes a move on Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Potential Trade
Lakers Receive: Kyle Kuzma
Wizards Receive: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAL), 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAC)
Kyle Kuzma coming back to the Lakers after four seasons away is a nice story but is quite unnecessary. After the team acquired Dorian Finney-Smith, they made the necessary forward addition to their roster. Rui Hachimura has already started to look out of place, so the Lakers don't need to complicate their frontcourt with a mid-season Kuzma addition, especially after the bad season he's had.
Kuzma is averaging 14.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists this season. While he provides solid rebounding and a potential offensive threat, the Lakers would be better off using their assets to reinforce positions of need. Also, there is a risk of Kuzma wanting to be a star instead of a role-player, which could poison the locker room.
Overall, this isn't worth the hassle on a position that doesn't need immediate attention.
Lonzo Ball
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (2) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Potential Trade
Lakers Receive: Lonzo Ball, Torrey Craig
Bulls Receive: Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Christian Wood
A third emotional homecoming story the Lakers could see this winter is the return of Lonzo Ball. Ball last played for the franchise in 2019 before being traded to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis. Now, he can return to the franchise and play alongside Davis and former teammate LeBron James again. The Lakers are even coached by his former Pelicans' teammate JJ Redick.
The Lakers do need a point guard like Ball who can defend, stretch the floor, and primarily a playmaker. They've over-extended Austin Reaves on that front, but it still doesn't make sense to trade for Ball. They'd have to lose a real contributor like Hachimura or a combination of both Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent. It doesn't make sense for them to deplete their rotation for Ball.
Ball is averaging 7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, returning after nearly three seasons away from basketball due to knee injuries. The Lakers can just sign Lonzo in free agency if required for a much cheaper deal than the $20 million he's owed this season.
Cam Johnson
Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) stands on the court in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Potential Trade
Lakers Receive: Cam Johnson
Nets Receive: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2029 Second-Round Pick (LAL)
The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the many teams hovering around star Nets forward Cam Johnson. While they already acquired his teammate Dorian Finney-Smith, many have linked Johnson to the Lakers as the perfect offensive fit.
That might be true, as Johnson is averaging 19.4 points and 4.1 rebounds as an excellent shooter (41.9 3P%) this season. His skill set would fit alongside the Lakers as he thrives off-ball and is a catch-and-shoot expert. This makes him an attractive prospect but the Lakers need to stay away from him.
Johnson is in demand, so the Lakers likely won't be able to get him without forking over a first-round pick. For that cost, the Lakers are better off reinforcing actual positions of need like center or guard.
Replicating the Nets frontcourt from last season shouldn't be a priority, especially if Johnson or Smith need to come off the bench to accommodate LeBron.
Jakob Poeltl
Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Potential Trade
Lakers Receive: Jakob Poeltl
Pelicans Receive: Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2029 Top-5 Protected First-Round Pick (LAL)
With Anthony Davis calling for a center, the Lakers could discuss a potential trade for Jakob Poeltl from the Toronto Raptors. Poeltl has been one of the most underrated centers in the NBA for a while now, with his diverse skill set making him a potentially great fit next to Davis.
Poeltl is averaging 14.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks this season, appearing to be the perfect big to replicate the Lakers' 2020 strategy of two bigs with AD at the four. However, this ambition won't be replicated in this situation. The 2020 Lakers had two veteran-minimum centers only tasked with defense and rebounding. Poeltl has a much larger skill set, especially on the ball.
This fit could become awkward, and the Lakers don't need to spend so many assets for a center. They might as well meet the Jazz's asking price for Walker Kessler because at least that's a player making $2 million instead of Poeltl's $20 million. They'd be paying too much for this one position, making their roster incongruent.
