There’s still a month to go before the trade deadline arrives, but the Lakers have gotten the jump on the competition.
Late last month, they acquired forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton from the Nets in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks.
Finney-Smith was the centerpiece of the deal for the Lakers. They were seeking a forward who could upgrade their defense and also space the floor.
Thus far, coach JJ Redick has used Finney-Smith off the bench in four games since the deal was completed. The Lakers have a 2-2 record during that stretch. Milton has also received second-unit minutes.
The Lakers’ hopes in the Western Conference still rely on the health and steady contributions of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, as well as the perimeter shooting of Austin Reaves.
Rui Hachimura, Max Christie, rookie Dalton Knecht, and Gabe Vincent are the other players who have received steady minutes. The Lakers have played well since moving Christie into the starting lineup. Knecht has cooled off after a strong start. They’re hopeful of getting a boost soon from forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who has yet to play this season due to foot and knee ailments.
Statistically, the Lakers rank among the top 10 in field goal percentage and fewest turnovers. However, they’re a middling three-point shooting team and they’re in bottom 10 in rebounding and defensive field goal percentage.
The deal with the Nets gave the Lakers some relief below the second tax apron and they still have some draft capital to offer in future deals — a pair of 2025 second-rounders, first-rounders in 2029 and 2031, and first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2028, and 2030.
They don’t have any players with expiring contracts who are making $4MM or more, so they’ll have to be more creative to make another deal.
That brings us to today’s topic: Did the Lakers improve their postseason prospects enough with the addition of Finney-Smith? If not, what other upgrades do they need to make to become true contenders again?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.
I’d like to see them get Kessler and Sexton, but I don’t think Utah wants to take back any multi year contracts like Vincent or Vando. So a third team? Also like Jonas V, but that’s probably a 3 for one trade with same issue on the laker contracts.
The Jazz just traded Vanderbilt to the Lakers not that long ago and Kessler is one of the few bright spots for the Jazz this season.
Deano, reports are that Vincent, Vanderbilt, and Christian Wood have generated so much trade interest that Pelinka’s biggest challenge is getting off the phone.
When it comes to trade possibilities, on the sliding scale of 1 (delusional) to 10 (realistic), Warriors fans are pretty bad. I’d give us a 2. Sacramento fans get an 8.
Lakers fans get a -1 (“minus one”)
The appetite for Lakers trade news has spawned an industry. There are at least 3 YouTube channels, with thousands of views per week, reporting on “trade discussions” that, without fail, have the Lakers receiving several-fold in return for what they send out.
No not enough , last nights game showed they need a Big C
Adam’s ate them alive
Kessler would be my main target , a Poa defender would be nice but it Doesht exist in their price range so no need thinking deeper . Kessler would give them that McGee / Howard combo all in 1 player, they could run out some really big / good defensive lineups , make the other Teams possibly have to adjust for once as we have been the ones always ( trying ) to adjust come playoffs chasing. Our own tails
DFS doesn’t move the needle enough to change the picture, and he wasn’t the right guy to spend those precious last second round picks on. I gotta think they’re not counting on Vanderbilt, otherwise those picks would have been spent on a center, like Vucevic.
Lakers should focus on keeping LaBron and AD healthy for the playoffs and hope they can win a first round series. The worst thing Pelinka can do is convince Jeanie they should trade their last remaining firsts.
At this stage, the most important thing is to keep the future intact so they can sign a big FA like a Luka or an SGA when LeBron retires. No FA will buy in if they have no draft picks. LeBron came because he saw a future.
I doubt the Lakers or any team today is counting on open cap Space as a route worth taking to the top of the standings , to the bottom sure
I don’t see a Luka SGA GA joining a team via cap space eitther , or their respective teams letting them get there. Those days are long gone
Rain Delay, I’m referring to when LeBron retires, most likely in 16 months.
I don’t like the reality but you can’t fight it: Luka or SGA or some other big name free agent will sign with the Lakers when LeBron leaves because playing for the Lakers will make them an extra $250M off the court over the rest of their career.
That’s why LeBron went to the Lakers as a FA, and why no team in the NBA can compete for FA’s with, by far, the largest media market in the world.
Every big-time agent is monitoring the situation in LA with an eye to filling that $60M Laker salary slot.
Well I hope your right as a Laker fan but I don’t see it nor do I see future preparations being made to open up a max post Lbj by the lakers
You just don’t gain a max when Lbj leaves, they are talking about extending Dfs today , possible Kessler trade w ext …. These aren’t the actions of a team looking to open up a max in 16 months –
Rain Delay – I speak from envy, not optimism.
As Magic always said after LeBron signed, the two most consequential free agent signings in NBA history were Shaq to the Lakers in 1996 and LeBron to the Lakers in 2018. I believe there will be another FA signing like it in the next 3 years. They’re not coming for the weather.
Extending DFS makes him more tradable, increasing Lakers flexibility to manage their cap in the future. He’s got a player option right now, which impedes tradability. Lakers are trying to sign him to a team-friendly 3-year deal in low teens.
Lakers have an unfair advantage when it comes to FA’s
Imo those big guys will only go somewhere that is turn key to win , that’s not a cap team
Maybe in their twilight they’d take Jeanie’s bag but not in there prime
You’d more likely get saddled w a quasi star and not much room to improve ; (a 7 m room exception ) I can see them trading for a true star but it won’t come via cap
No huge star is going to leave a quarter billion + dollars on the table and play out a walk year moving forward , it’s just nuts and unwarranted when all you have to do is asked to be traded 6 months later
Those players (if moved ) will be traded not hit the free market
And the Lakers couldn’t sign anyone when they were terrible , couldn’t even get an interview w a quality free agent in the mid 2010s ;Knicks were in sane boat at that time too
Rain Delay, I’m not following you that well (which is my problem, not yours), but I view the appeal of LA for players (and their rep’ing) agencies as much greater than you seem to.
Agencies tell their superstars they can make way more money in LA. If I’m rep’ing Edwards, SGA, Luka, Booker, Giannis, etc, I’m telling them that moving from a small-or-mid market team to LA can add 10’s of millions in wealth every year.
IMO, your arguments about the constraints imposed by the CBA apply in most cases, but every few years we see how superstars successfully escape to the biggest markets. See LeBron/Klutch to the Lakers, followed by AD and Klutch forcing their way out of New Orleans to Klutch; KD and Rich Kleiman move from GSW to Brooklyn, per a plan designed with Kyrie; Kahwi moves from Toronto to LA because Paul George wants to come with him, etc.
My point is that these events, which dramatically elevate a franchise in an instant, generally happen only with those teams in the biggest markets and preferred free agent destinations (LA, NYC, and MIA), and that, of those, LA is by far the most favored.
I’m referring to when LeBron retires, most likely in 16 months.
I don’t like the reality but you can’t fight it: Luka or SGA or some other big name free agent will sign with the Lakers when LeBron leaves because playing for the Lakers will make them an additional $250M over the rest of their career.
That’s why LeBron went to the Lakers as a FA, and why no team in the NBA can compete for FA’s with, by far, the largest media market in the world.
Every big-time agent is monitoring the situation in LA with an eye to filling that $60M Laker salary slot.
SGA no, he’ll be competing for championships for the foreseeable future if he stays in OKC. Luka is a maybe.
Taco, it’s interesting to speculate on where superstars will be in a few years. But as the proportion of income to superstars increases from sources other than their contracts, so does the allure of “big time”.
The point is that we need to consider not just the competitive prospects for the players’ team, but the opportunity costs associated with missing out on other activities. By 30 years old, these players tend to be much more financially sophisticated, as well as having a new family. Being in Minnesota, Milwaukee, Phoenix, OKC, etc suddenly makes less sense.
All generalities, of course, but that’s how I see it.
JJ should tell everybody the TNT team is to blame for the league being the way it is again, lol.
It’ll never be enough period. Everyone will hate the Lakers forever unless you’re a fan.
DFS was an upgrade at a position that is now a slight logjam, further trades notwithstanding. Makes sense to include Rui in any future trades for positions of actual need; C and PG. a true 5 not named Koloko or Wood would be great. I don’t really see PG being an actual NBA position any longer.
Enough to contend? Probably not, but the DFS acquisition was still a great move. Even the salary filler (Milton) could have some situational value.
Upgrades from here? I doubt anyone will be available that will bridge the gap between them and a contender. But ignoring reality consistent with other posts on this site, I’d go to IND and insist they trade me Turner and Nesmith.
LAL messed up big time giving away D-Lo for DFS… so, what can they do now?
Not much really, they are what they have right now.
LA are in a better position than they were…
But it’s fighting to get out of the play in instead of fighting to get in…
Without knowing if they have enough salaries to match, a guy like Duncan Robinson makes a lot of sense for them. They’ll probably pick up a player after they get bought out, too.
They’re better than expected, but they need a true backup at the 5, who can also play alongside AD with a bit of punch either as a rebounder or scorer. If a trade doesn’t materialize, sign Bismack Biyombo or a guy from the EuroLeague. They’re clear of the 2nd apron, so they can sign a minimum deal if they want. Duop Reath is also an option if they can finagle a few things. Still 3 available 2nds, and he’s on a minimum deal. I’d take him if the Bulls are unwilling to take back long-term salary for Vuc.
The lakers improved by getting rid of d-lo and now the question is can reaves take over his ball handling portions. DFS is a solid add but the main piece of this trade for the lakers was to get d-lo out asap to try and salvage this season.
Humps, that would make sense.
Do you approve of spending those last 2 seconds? It seems they’d be necessary to do another deal.
It was their only hope of improving…
You cant have dead salary on the books under the new CBA… As the Warriors are finding out with Draymond…
Rain Delay, I’m not following you that well (which is my problem, not yours), but I view the appeal of LA for players (and their rep’ing) agencies as much greater than you seem to.
Agencies tell their superstars they can make way more money in LA. If I’m rep’ing Edwards, SGA, Luka, Booker, Giannis, etc, I’m telling them that moving from a small-or-mid market team to LA can add 10’s of millions in wealth every year.
IMO, your arguments about the constraints imposed by the CBA apply in most cases, but every few years we see how superstars successfully escape to the biggest markets. See LeBron/Klutch to the Lakers, followed by AD and Klutch forcing their way out of New Orleans to Klutch; KD and Rich Kleiman move from GSW to Brooklyn, per a plan designed with Kyrie; Kahwi moves from Toronto to LA because Paul George wants to come with him, etc.
My point is that these events, which dramatically elevate a franchise in an instant, generally happen only with those teams in the biggest markets and preferred free agent destinations (LA, NYC, and MIA), and that, of those, LA is by far the most favored.
NewsFlash: Jarred Vanderbilt’s second most favorite hamster has fully recovered from a very serious illness. Vando has announced a Post All Star return date and wants to thank Lakers Nation for all the emotional support he has received to enable his speedy return. This has been a most difficult time dealing with his hamster and at the same time he’s had a nagging hangnail that won’t go away!