With the Lakers off to a 2-9 start this season and no signs that a turnaround is imminent, VP of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and the team’s front office face a difficult decision, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
As Haynes outlines, the Lakers must decide whether to continue pushing their chips into the middle of the table by making more win-now trades this season or whether they’d be better off waiting until the 2023 offseason to pursue major moves.
Waiting until next summer would mean Russell Westbrook‘s $47MM+ expiring contract would no longer be on the team’s books. It would also put the Lakers in position to trade an additional draft pick, since they could move their 2023 first-rounder (once the Pelicans exercise their swap rights) after the pick has been made.
However, LeBron James has a finite number of high-level seasons left and doesn’t want to waste a year waiting for reinforcements, sources tell Haynes. Other core players on the roster would also prefer the team to make win-now moves, Haynes adds.
As has been reported repeatedly throughout the offseason and into the season, the Lakers don’t want to move their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in a deal that doesn’t significantly improve their chances of contending for a title. According to Haynes, there’s not a universal belief within the club’s front office that acquiring Myles Turner and Buddy Hield from the Pacers would move the needle to that degree.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- The Lakers are “known to covet” Bradley Beal, according to Haynes. However, the Wizards guard just signed a five-year contract with the team that includes a full no-trade clause, so he’d have to ask out of Washington for L.A. – or any other team – to have a shot at him.
- As Jovan Buha reported earlier this week, the Lakers aren’t considering trading Anthony Davis, Haynes confirms. However, Haynes hears from sources that the team has received more calls about Russell Westbrook as of late — those talks haven’t advanced beyond the initial stages though.
- LeBron James, who was diagnosed with a left adductor strain, has been ruled out for Friday’s game vs. Sacramento, and Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter video link via The Rally) hears that James is expected to miss Sunday’s game vs. Brooklyn too. After Sunday, the team is off until next Friday.
- In the same video clip, Charania also reports that free agent wings Joe Wieskamp and Tony Snell recently worked out for the Lakers, whose .293 3PT% ranks last in the NBA.
Its the daily pretend the Lakers will make a trade rumor. Lakers should hold onto their draft picks because they will need them for the future.
Lakers need to trade LeBron and just commit to a rebuild. No pieces to deal for anyone good enough.
That’s impossible unless he asks for a trade. There’s a relationship there.., he’s practically part of the Lakers entity right now. He’s bought in with them and they with him.
It’s hard to rebuild without draft picks.
It’s hard to rebuild without young talent too which at least you can get by trading veterans.
What about a package 3-way deal that includes Westbrook to Min., DLo to the Nets and Irving to LAL?
Not sure how many would agree but if I was the Lakers I would go for that. Yes Kyrie Irving is toxic but what do you have with Westbrook? Really not going anywhere.
Plus I would ask for a wink wink from Kyrie to opt out at the end of this season. Wouldn’t do the trade unless that was part of it. The great thing about Westbrook is that his money comes off the books this summer..
I think even Minnesota would go for this because they would be out from under D’Angelo Russell’s contract. They could picture Westbrook as a Pat Beverly type who brings intensity and newfound defensive desire.
D’Angelo Russell is a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves because Karl-Anthony Towns made a specific request that they trade for Russell, one of his best friends.
Any moves involving D’Angelo Russell have to be approved by KAT first. KAT is not currently allowing any deals involving Russell.
Opt out of what? He is on an expiring contract after picking up his player option.
Thank you. I didn’t realize Kyrie’s in the last year also.
It’s actually a very easy decision, particularly based on their own stated parameters such as having cap space this offseason. What might be difficult is explaining it to LeBron.
LeBrom is old and looking more washed up daily, not going to draw a big return
I wasn’t suggesting they would trade LeBron. What I believe they would need to explain to him is that they’re not going “all in” to win this year. Or maybe they’ll let him figure it out.
The Lakers need to make a trade. How long until they figure that out?
True but their track record on trades in the last couple of years has been a little sketchy.
They may just ride this thing out this year and Hope they can get two big guns with Westbrook’s money next summer? Then give it another shot next season before they scrap it all in the summer of ’24?
No trade can help this team.
It’s over for The Lakers. Just take the L and move on. Trade Davis. Trade whoever is playing good. Maybe Lonnie Walker, Troy Brown. Then trade LeBron in the off-season. They’ll never be contenders again with LeBron. Ship has sailed. Bye bye.
Not going to happen. They give it another shot next season. Then they blow it up.
Their hands are tied right now but they’re not going to trade Davis or lebron. Since they CAN’T trade LeBron, they won’t trade Davis and leave LeBron by himself.
The reason they can’t trade AD is because they will never get the price back for what they paid for him. Nobody is throwing a bunch of young players and draft picks for a injury prone player.
Sure. I can see Beal waiving his No-Trade clause to leave a good situation in Washington to play for the Lakers disaster. Haaa Haaa Heee Heee. I wanted to see if I could type that without exploding in laughter so I have no idea how the moron who wrote that in the article did it. It was a good chuckle though. Wow.
We’ll see how long the Lakers Execs put their foot down with LBJ, and building for the future. They would be smart to hold to it. They are years away from cultivating another winning team, time is wasting, and picks are valuable.