The Lakers are expected to be one of the most active buyers on the trade market during the 2024/25 season, though it remains unclear how much of their available draft capital they’re willing to move and how significant a deal they’ll make, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
As Buha notes, the Lakers were also considered likely to buy last season, but ultimately stood pat at the February trade deadline, choosing not to surrender a first-round pick. However, there’s hope that Golden State’s deal for Dennis Schröder (which saw the Warriors give up three second-round picks and get one back) may be a signal that teams’ asking prices for useful role players will be more modest this time around.
The Lakers are believed to be in the market for three kinds of players, according to Buha: a “physical, defensive-minded” center, a three-and-D wing, and an athletic guard with some size who can defend at the point of attack. As Buha writes, players the Lakers have been linked to in the past, including Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas and Nets wings Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, are among the targets who would make sense at this season’s deadline.
Jazz guard Collin Sexton and center Walker Kessler, Raptors swingman Bruce Brown, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and center Robert Williams, and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma are some of the other potential players of interest who have come up in Buha’s conversations with team and league sources. However, the Lakers aren’t expected to be in on former All-Stars like Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Brandon Ingram, Buha adds.
Here’s more on the Lakers and their approach to the trade deadline:
- Unsurprisingly, the Lakers aren’t considering trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis and almost certainly wouldn’t do so unless they asked to be dealt, sources tell Buha. Other players unlikely to be moved include Austin Reaves, Max Christie, and Dalton Knecht, who are viewed as potential long-term pieces.
- While Bronny James isn’t untouchable, he’s not expected to be included in a trade that doesn’t involve his father, sources tell The Athletic.
- One or more of the Lakers’ four mid-sized contracts – D’Angelo Russell ($18.69MM cap hit), Rui Hachimura ($17MM), Gabe Vincent ($11MM), Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.71MM) – figures to be included in any deal of note this season. Of those players, Hachimura looks like the one the Lakers would least want to move, Buha writes, though the forward would probably also have the most trade value of the four. Russell hasn’t drawn significant interest from potential suitors during previous discussions, Vincent has dealt with injuries and has struggled offensively since joining the Lakers, and Vanderbilt has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from offseason surgeries on both feet.
Dollar for dollars match trade idea
Nets get Dlo, Rui and 2031 unprotected First from Lakers
Lakers get Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson
Nets would ask Lakers to add 2029 top-10 protected First
I don’t want both of them. Pick one for Russell and whatever else… keep Rui.
Lakers should target Dejounte Murray too.
Pelicans have started to tank
Lakers starters
Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, Murray.
two superstars
If Nets asked for Kuminga in a Johnson trade they are going to ask for a lot more than Rui.
The Lakers shouldn’t even be thinking about trading any 1sts unless they can somehow go 12-8 over the next 20. Not impossible, but 8-12 more likely
I *think the FO is on the same page but its a bad FO so you never know. The league is looking for suckers and they have gotten less and less over the years. I cant blame the media here for filling in the gaps
The one trade Im open to is Christie and JHS with 2~3 seconds for Val as he helps AD for multiple years . Wiz aint taking Vincent like being speculated in a Val trade as they can do better (money wise) even sans a 2nd rder that they have in spades
So many teams are desperate for an undersized nepobaby like Bronny James. Good for the Lakers in standing tough on not trading the future cornerstone of their top 5 lottery team.
Based on your scouting report of Bronny James, you must think Steph Curry is completely atrocious. Steph is smaller than Bronny and a nepobaby. Hell, Steph couldn’t even get into a good school. He had to play 4 years. What a loser.
Being the son of LeBron James is a heck of a lot different than being the son of Dell Curry. Also, why do people like you defend billionaires who don’t care about you? Power and money… power and money. Scary times to be alive. Standing up for Lebron and his son by calling a fellow human a loser, would you say the same about a celebrity talking about anyone else like that. It’s pathetic dude. He plays basketball, you don’t know him personally, don’t defend people more than a family member because they have power and money.
Seriously? What is your problem? English must not be your 1st language. You certainly can’t comprehend it. Where was I defending LeBron? Why do you feel the need to trash Bronny? Are you saying Bronny shouldn’t be allowed to play basketball because of his father?
Do you really know how much talent Bronny has? You seem to have a huge bias against him. Why not let him play and see how he develops?
For the record, Curry is smaller than Bronny. He went to a smaller school. In Curry’s 1st few seasons, the Warriors were lottery teams. Physically, he almost didn’t make. To you, he would be labeled a “loser”.
I wouldn’t trade Christie. I think he’s the only guy who can come close to stopping a lead guard. Like he did against Ja. Vincent and DLo for Jonas and Brogdon plus a 1st round pick and a 2nd rounder. You’ll have to pay a little extra (picks) for Vincent’s contract.
Will need to pick up another guard. Maybe use JHS and Woods contracts to do that with 2nd rounder
The whole holdup limiting anything the Lakers have wanted to do trade wise has been other team’s reluctance to take back DeAngelo Russell. Dude is literally an albatross to any Laker improvement or upgrade to their roster.
Who didn’t know he was a terrible pick the FIRST time the Lakers took him? Ohio State held the door open for him to leave – had fake pitbull barking noises behind him to hurry him up out the door.
Porzingis coulda been the pick had Phil Jackson not put a Jedi Mind Trick on Jim Buss
Gabe for Val makes a lot of sense but they need to continue to be active. Vando and Christie out next…
Guaranteed starters should be AR Bron AD and Val and depending on what’s on offer for Vando and Christie Bron can play either SF or PG.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Bron at PG again, easier defensive match ups with cover behind him at the rim, makes other teams play bigger line ups and helps your team win the rebounding battle.
If you could get Kuzma or Grant for that package maybe with a pick attached then I’d do it.
Another shooter and good defender
There is absolutely no way a nearly-40 year old LeBron can stay in front of anyone’s lead guard. The Lakers struggle to protect the rim as it is – now you’d be asking them to try and do it on every play.
The thing is if he gets blown by there’s 2 bigs below covering the rim. When he plays the 4 he has to try cover for others. Plus because of his height and length I think he’d do well on the perimeter contesting shots and getting steals. You wouldn’t put him on teams best guards but easily on the second perimeter option.
If you think about it for GSW you wouldn’t have him on Curry you’d put him on the off ball guard like Heild, Podzi or GP.
Same with Nuggets have him on Braun, and so on.
Teams are shooting 61.5% within 8ft of the rim against the Lakers (22nd in the league). They can’t protect it now – having LeBron take on more defensive responsibility is just putting fuel on the fire.
Not really, your moving him away from the problem area and bringing in someone more mobile, who’s bigger and stronger that’ll actually make more of an effort and therefore improve the interior of the defence.
That’s not the way typical aging of players works. Typically they move bigger toward the basket. As the mobility gets slower.
I can’t agree with what you said.
You want someone who already has issues with fatigue. To become more mobile.
You expect too much imo.
Your not really asking him to stay in front your more asking him to get tips, steals and blocks on guys shorter than him where the ball gets moves around more. Once he gets beat you’ve then got two guys covering him. Plus because he has a size advantage he can still get back and affect a shot when a guy has beat him.
Then offensively he’s going to overpower any guard you put on him meaning you’ve created a mismatch somewhere on the court or otherwise making teams play bigger line ups to cover the fact Bron is at the 1. Again working to your advantage as there’s less shooting on the floor for the opposition and more traffic in the middle for guards trying to get past LeBron on the perimeter
I’ve read rumors Lakers looking at Grant. Now that would be major. I’d give up Rui and. Pick for him. Keep Knecht as a rotation guy. Always liked Grant.
The Lakers should go all in, help defense, rebound, ball handling, speed up the pace and play all 5 positions on the floor, he s 6’9 only 28 yrs old. Get Ben Simmons on that expiring contract or see does the Nets give him a buy out. Simmons would solve 4/5 Lakers needs and he have a low post game. If things don’t go as planned, he’s a free agent next year But his name with Bron,AD & Reaves would send fear through the league. He is easy to Coach, Don t take bad shots, willing defender, loves LA, and he ll be motivated to play with Bron & AD. Do it Lakers and you ll have your Bron replacement for the future. Ben, AD, Reaves, DK will great going forward. He’s Vando,Rui, Woods & Hayes all in one guy, 6’9 229 avg/10/9/9/3/3 Dude have mad game, just let him play his game.
There’s not a single soul in the NBA that fears Ben Simmons and his 5.3 points per game.
Lakers get Valencunas sure.
Meanwhile, as the Lakers deliberate on whether to trade away what remains of their future capital, OKC is emerging as a prohibitive favorite to win the West for the next 3-4 years. (Just wait till Chet returns in January. It’s going to be depressing for the rest of us.)
Two months ago, trading their last 2 firsts might have made sense. At this point, that might get them to the playoffs this season, maybe even to the second round, but it’s also going to make the post-Lebron years that much more miserable.
Real interesting how GSW traded Beekman, a PG on a 2way deal, they have an open spot there now….
Lakers may as well go all-in while they have LeBron, because as soon as he’s gone, they’re going to be a barren mess for years. They’re short on talent and picks – it’s gonna get ugly.
Cam- that’s one way to think about it.
On the other hand, the Lakers are a business, and losing for an extended number of seasons lowers revenues and profitability — say, as much as $200M per year in an affluent market like LA.
The Buss family owns only 66%. There are also outside shareholders involved. That prevents going “all in” to an extreme.
Lakers should move Russell, Rui, and a pick. For Grant. Then sign Fultz. This would be a huge upgrade…..
So, all the Lakers want is the cake with frosting and an extra cherry on top! Big center, 3& D wing, PG who can shoot Tre!!!! This while the team is up against the second level cap and has to go player for player and match salary to the dollar. They do not have a roster spot available. Gosh, I have faith that can be done. # sarcasm. Why should any team/teams bail out the Lakers????