3 Moves To Help The Lakers Win Legitimate NBA Championship

Despite a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis and high hopes for the rest of the team, the Lakers’ recent losses and poor play with a roster that’s finally healthy confirms they’re not a legitimate championship contender.

What’s frustrating is the Lakers still haven’t fixed the three major problems from last season: they need a point guard who can defend, an elite volume 3-point shooting wing, and a shot blocking, rim protecting backup center. Unfortunately, D’Angelo Russell is still the starting point guard and weak link defensively, Taurean Prince the starting small forward and coach Ham favorite, and Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood the pair of unplayable bigs.

It’s not just the eyeball test that says the Lakers need to make major moves before the trade deadline if they want to be a legitimate contender for the 2024 NBA championship. The stats are telling us the exact same story.
Right now, the Lakers are 15–12 and 8th in the West. Their offensive rating is 24th, their defensive rating 8th, and their net rating 18th. For the last 4 games, they dropped to 23rd in offense, 17th in defense, and 20th in net.

The Lakers as currently constructed are not a legitimate championship contender. They need an upgrade defensively at point guard, a proven high volume 3-point shooting wing, and a trustworthy defensive backup center.
A healthy Gabe Vincent returning from injury could be answer to replacing D’Angelo Russell with a better defender. Unfortunately, L.A. will have to trade for a volume 3-point shooter and backup center who can defend.

Bottom line, to win the NBA championship, the Lakers must replace D’Angelo Russell with a true 3&D starter, Taurean Prince with a proven high volume 3-point shooter, and Jaxson Hayes with a rim protecting center.

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1. Options To Replace D’Angelo Russell

The Lakers’ top three options to replace D’Angelo Russell as their starting point guard with a legitimate two-way, 3&D, defense-first guard should be Gabe Vincent, the Bulls’ Alex Caruso, and the Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart.

3. Gabe Vincent. Before making any moves, the Lakers need to know whether a healthy Gabe Vincent could be the starting point guard and offer better shooting and point-of-attack defense than D’Angelo Russell.
There are still big questions about Vincent’s role on the Lakers. He’s a better point-of-attack defender than Russell but not as good a 3-point shooter. Ideally, his best role should be as Lakers’ backup point guard.

• Gabe Vincent, 6′ 2″, 200 lbs, 27-years old, $10.5M, 3-yrs
  2022–23: 9.4/2.1/2.5 on 8.3/5.1/1.1 shots for 40.2/33.4/87.2%
  2023–24: 6.0/1/0/3.0 on 7.0/3.5/0.5 shots for 39.3/7.1/50.0%

2. Marcus Smart. Any team seeking players to give them a defensive identity needs to consider trading for Marcus Smart, a 3-time NBA All-Defensive First Team player and 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Smart has to be hurting after being traded by the Celtics and what better franchise to give him a chance to redeem his game and brand in L.A. and show Boston what a massive mistake they make by trading him.

• Marcus Smart, 6′ 3″, 220 lbs, 29-years old, $18.8M, 3-yrs
  2023–24: 12.5/2.5/5.0 on 9.2/4.9/2.4 for 42.9/29.5/81.0%

1. Alex Caruso. The Lakers should never have allowed Caruso to leave. He made the 2023 NBA All-Defensive First Team as a Bull and should be the Lakers top trade option to re-prioritize defense as a point guard priority.
Alex’s contract, All-NBA defense, career high 3-point percentage, and experience and chemistry with LeBron James and Anthony Davis make him the perfect modern point guard for this defense-first Lakers team.

• Alex Caruso, 6′ 5″, 186 lbs, 29-years old, $9.4M, 2-yrs
  2023–24: 9.4/3.3/2.3 on 6.2/3.4/1.5 shots for 54.0/45.3/75.0%

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2. Options To Replace Taurean Prince

The Lakers’ best three options to replace Taurean Prince as their starting small forward with a proven volume 3-point shooting wing are Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen, Pistons’ Bojan Bogdanovic, and Hawks Bogdan Bogdanovic.

3. Bogdan Bogdanovic. Bogdan is the younger of the two Bogdanovics, who are from different countries and not related. His style of play is more like a shooting guard but he’s developed into a lethal volume 3-point shooter.
Bogdan is averaging 8.3 shots per game beyond the arc and making them at 41.0% clip. He also has the second best defensive rating on the Hawks’ roster this season, which makes him a great fit as volume 3&D wing.

• Bogdan Bogdanovic, 6′ 5″, 225 lbs, 31-years old, $18.7M, 4-yrs
  2023–24: 17.5/3.4/2.5 on 13.5/8.3/1.6 shots for 46.5/41.0/92.1

2. Bojan Bogdanovic. Bojan is the older and more experienced of the two Bogdanovics. He has the size and bulk to play either forward position and would give the Lakers an elite 3-level offensive option to close out games.
Since Detroit is tanking, Bojan is more available in trade than Bogdan. Should the Lakers be unable to pull of a mega trade for Lauri Markkanen, their next best logical move could be to trade for Bojan Bogdanovic.

• Bojan Bogdanovic, 6′ 7″, 226 lbs, 34-years old, $20M, 2-yr
  2023–24: 21.1/2.3/2.5 on 14.6/7.4/4.6 shots for 49.6/42.4/75.7%

1. Lauri Markkanen. Lauri Markkanen is the perfect option to replace Taurean Prince at small forward. He not only has the volume shooting stroke the Lakers desperately need but also positional size and length.
The Lakers should go all-in on Lauri and offer the equivalent of three unprotected post-LeBron first round picks, including 2029 pick, removing 1–4 protection from 2027 pick, and adding a 2028 first round pick swap.

• Lauri Markannen, 7′ 0″, 240 lbs, 26-years old, $17.2M,2-yrs
  2023–24: 23.2/8.5/1.3 on 16.2/8.1/5.1 shots for 48.6/38.4/84.6%

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3. Options To Replace Jaxon Hayes

The Lakers’ top three options to replace Jaxson Hayes as their backup center with a defensive big who can protect the rim are the Wizards’ Daniel Gafford, the Jazz’ Kelly Olynyk, and the Warriors’ Draymond Green.

3. Draymond Green. The Lakers will surely be monitoring the Draymond Green situation and will be ready to pounce should the Warriors end up deciding they have no option other than to trade the controversial big.
While the chances of Golden State trading Green to Los Angeles would be slim because of how great a fit Dray would be playing next to his Klutch buddies James and Davis, it’s probably the first call the Lakers make.

• Draymond Green , 6′ 6′, 230 lbs, 33-years old, $22.3M, 4-yrs
  2023–24: 9.7/5.5/5.8 on 6.9/2.8/2.0 shots for 49.0/42.9/83.3%

2. Kelly Olynyk. While he doesn’t specifically fit the criteria of being a good rim protector, Kelly average 0.2 blocks and 0.8 steals in just 21.6 mpg. Like Green, Olynyk would be a dynamic second big to start alongside Davis.
Olynyk would also be terrific as the Lakers’ backup center as his 3-point shooting, rebounding, and playmaking prowess would be needed skillsets for the Lakers whenever Anthony Davis goes to the bench to rest.

• Kelly Olynyk, 6′ 11′, 240 lbs, 32-years old, $12.2M, 3-yrs
  2023–24: 7.3/5.8/4.3 on 4.8/1.8/1.6 shots for 53.3/42.2/89.7%

1. Daniel Gafford. The Lakers’ best option to replace Jaxson Hayes as the Lakers backup center is the Wizards’ Daniel Gafford, who’s averaging 2..1 blocks and 0.6 steals in 25.3 mpg. Daniel Gafford is an elite rim protector.
The Lakers have always had a good relationship with the Wizards’ front office and trading for Daniel Gafford should be the Lakers top priority. Gafford would solidify the Lakers defense whenever AD was on the bench.

• Daniel Gafford, 6′ 10′, 234 lbs, 25-years old, $12.4M, 3-yrs
  2023–24: 10.6/7.7/1.8 on 6.3/0.0/2.6 shots for 69.2/0.0/70.0%