Rob Pelinka reveals Lakers' 1st-round picks trade strategy

This offseason has mostly been one of inactivity for the Los Angeles Lakers. Instead of pushing all their chips to the center of the table with the goal of building the best team they can around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, they have stood pat. With training camp less than a week away, the Lakers are poised to enter the new season with nearly the same roster that they ended the 2023-24 campaign with.

If it isn't clear already, it will be very difficult for the Lakers to compete for a title. They lost in five games to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, and it's unclear if the hiring of head coach JJ Redick will be enough to take them from a low/middle-tier playoff team to one of the best teams in a stacked Western Conference. But general manager Rob Pelinka isn't just about to trade away the team's precious first-round picks for a measly upgrade.

For Pelinka, it's imperative that the player (or players) the Lakers acquire will help them build a contending team that's sustainable instead of going all-in on asset that could leave after just a year or perhaps an older player whose best years are in the rearview mirror. Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Lakers are “open” to trading their draft assets, as long as the deal helps them secure “sustained Lakers excellence”.

The Lakers are taking it slowly, perhaps with the fear of using up all their trade assets for someone who may not fit the team long-term. In 2021, the Lakers memorably burned through a plethora of assets, including two crucial members of their 2020 championship-winning team, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma, to trade for Russell Westbrook. Suffice to say, that move did not work out as they had hoped.

There will always be a certain magnetism that only the Lakers franchise possesses. It was what lured Anthony Davis back in 2019 in the first place. With LeBron James in the twilight years of his career, perhaps the Lakers are smart to save their trade assets for the next disgruntled superstar that forces their way out.

Who could the Lakers trade for?

The Lakers have been linked with a few All-Star-caliber players, including, but not limited to, Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and Zach LaVine, to name a few. Murray has since been traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, so he is out of the discussion for the Purple and Gold, while LaVine simply may not be at the level the Lakers need in their pursuit for “sustained excellence”.

Young is an interesting trade target for the Lakers. He's only 26 years of age, and he's a nightly 28-10 threat who could work some magic alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. James and Young will both need the ball in their hands, but James can actually work off the ball, while Young can space the floor, which will help when he's not the lead play initiator on the court.

However, the assets the Lakers have may not be enough to convince the Hawks to trade Young away. Moreover, Young's defensive woes make him quite the huge target on that end of the court, which can cap a team's ceiling.

The Lakers can always hope that a top-10 or top-15 player becomes discontented with their current situation and seek greener pastures. Nonetheless, they shouldn't hold their breath in anticipation of something that may or may not happen.