Lakerholics

While the Lakers rode their new defense-first jumbo starting lineup to an impressive road win over the rising Thunder, the way they won earned praise and respect but also raised legitimate concerns over sustainability.

The problem is the Lakers simply can’t count on LeBron James having a 40/7/7 game, Davis a 26/11/7 game, and the team hitting 16 of their 32 shots from deep every game. That’s simply not a sustainable winning formula.
But for a Lakers team struggling to rediscover the identity that carried them to the conference finals last year, turning to LeBron to play point guard and doubling down on size and defense could be their best option.

While just one game, last night’s statement win over the Thunder was a ‘must win’ for the Lakers and to the team’s credit, everybody in the new and narrowed 8-man rotation played very well and contributed to the victory.
Despite the win, the Lakers still need more playmaking and volume 3-point shooting in the starting lineup and a quality backup center when AD rests. Those are upgrades that will likely force the Lakers to make trades.

Most pundits project the Lakers waiting until late January or early February to make a trade when more players will be available but L.A. needs better starting shooting and playmaking and backup center rim protection now.
Unless they’re waiting for a player who can’t be traded until January 15 or they’re planning to trade Austin Reaves or Rui Hachimura, there’s just no reason for the Lakers to wait any longer. They need a big trade right now.

Let’s look at why the Lakers changed to this new starting lineup, what worked for the new lineup last night, and what’s worrisome and needs to be addressed via the trade market to build a championship starting lineup.

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WHY THE CHANGE?

The primary reasons the Lakers opted to insert Jarred Vanderbilt into the starting lineup to replace D’Angelo Russell was to allow LeBron James to play point guard and enable the Lakers starters to ‘switch everything.’

The situation that triggered Ham’s decision to turn to LeBron James at the point was D’Angelo Russell’s poor play over the last 6 games and news that backup point guard Gabe Vincent is now likely to miss a couple of months.
Despite spending the past 3 years looking for point guard to save LeBron wear-and-tear, the Lakers have now apparently decided to put the ball back in his hands and let him take complete ‘hands on’ charge of their offense.

Last night, we saw how important it is for the Lakers to have the ball in LeBron James hands as the team not only played their best game of the young season but also splashed 16 threes and a season high 37 assists.
While the Lakers new starting lineup will have to be adjusted before the trade deadline to add shooting and playmaking, it’s already transformed the Lakers’ offense by focusing every possession on James and Davis.

Switchability was also the other major reason why the Lakers went to the jumbo starting lineup because it would allow them to ‘switch everything,’ which makes it much easier for defenders to stay in front of their man.
Russell and Reaves were ultimately were sent to the bench because they were targeted by other teams due to their poor defense. Unfortunately, there’s no way DLo or Austin could play in a ‘switch everything’ defense.

The strategy behind the Lakers’ new defense-first jumbo starting lineup is to put the ball in the hands of LeBron James and let him control the offense while allowing the team’s big and long defense to ‘switch everything.’

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WHAT’S WORKED?

The major benefit the Lakers got from their new defense-first jumbo lineup was a renewed focus on getting the ball into the able hands of their two superstars and letting them score or distribute the ball as needed.

While it’s only one game, the new starting lineup certainly unleashed LeBron James and Anthony Davis to dominate and be their best, posting a combined total of 66 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks.
With James at point, the Lakers offense was a juggernaut the Thunder just could not handle, shooting 52.2% from the field, 50.0% from deep on 32 threes, 82.2% from the line on 23 free throws, with a season high 37 assists.

With James now calling the shots for the offense and Davis calling them for the defense, the Lakers finally appear to be in sync as to how they’re going to win games. The Lakers are focusing on optimizing their two superstars.
We saw last night that the Lakers have recommitted to using their defense to trigger their offense, winning the fast break points over OKC by 10 points. No more Russell slow-walking the ball up court after made basket.

While the stats are too small at this point to be meaningful, the new lineup and the team’s performance in a ‘must win’ game has raised Lakers fans’ hopes that they can somehow parlay tomorrow’s game into another win.
The Celtics will be a big challenge for the Lakers but at least it will be a home game. If we can beat OKC and Boston back-to-back, it would be a major statement like beating the Bucks and Clippers back-to-back in 2020.

The Lakers’ new defense-first jumbo starting lineup worked to perfection last night, allowing LeBron as point guard to take over and direct the team offensively while the lineup’s size and length shrunk the court defensively.

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WHAT’S NEEDED?

While the Lakers new starting lineup unleashed LeBron and AD to have elite superstar games, the Lakers still need a volume 3-point shooting 3&D wing, a second big to play with and backup AD, and a backup point guard.

These are all roster needs that the Lakers will not be able to solve internally and will likely be forced to trade for players to fill those needs. The players the Lakers are most likely to trade at this point are Russell and Vincent.
Unless the Lakers are willing to trade Reaves or Hachimura or are waiting to trade for a player who can’t be traded until January 15, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be looking to make an immediate trade to fix their roster.

The challenge for the Lakers is how do you solve the lack of shooting and playmaking from a starting lineup of James, Reddish, Prince, Vanderbilt, and Davis? Whomever you add will have to be able to ‘switch everything.’
How would Zach LaVine fit at shooting guard next to LeBron James? How about Trae Young or Dejounte Murray or Alex Caruso? What does the Lakers new defense-first jumbo starting lineup tell you about their plans?

The Lakers new starting lineup desperately needs a volume 3-point shooter whom opposing teams will respect and game plan and for and whose size and defense will enable him to effectively ‘switch everything’ on defense.
The Lakers could do this by replacing Vanderbilt with a second defense-first big like Daniel Gafford or a second offense-first big like Kelly Olynyk. Either could survive in a ‘switch everything’ defensive environment.

Look for the Lakers to make moves in early January to fix their pressing roster needs by trading for a starting big to pair with and backup Davis, a starting volume 3-point shooting 3&D wing, and a backup point guard.

The warning signs are flashing red as the Lakers’ season turned sour as they lost their fourth game in a row and fifth in their last five and now face the possibility of being mired in a 6-game losing streak come Christmas.

While the players are saying they need to pull together like they did for the In Season Tournament and play harder and better, the truth is the Lakers need a blockbuster trade now. They can’t afford to wait until January 15.
The good news is the Lakers have multiple players on team friendly deals who can be traded right now and valuable post-LeBron James draft capital that should enable them to immediately upgrade their roster via trade.

Nine Lakers players who are now eligible to be traded include D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish, Christian Wood, Maxwell Lewis, and Max Christie.
Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura cannot be traded until January 15 and Jarred Vanderbilt cannot be traded until next summer. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both considered to be untouchable by the Lakers.

When it comes to draft capital, the Lakers are in a better position than many analysts believe. While they only have one tradable first round pick, it’s for either the Lakers’ 2029 or 2030 post-LeBron James first round pick.
Were the Lakers to make that pick unprotected, it would immediately become the new gold standard in NBA first round picks. The Lakers could also include two or three pick swaps, which would also be highly valued.

The Lakers two greatest needs right now are to replace D’Angelo Russell at point guard and find a potential second big to pair with Anthony Davis in the starting lineup and fill in for him when he goes to the bench to rest.
The proposed trades send out a package that includes D’Angelo Russell and one or two players to get back a point guard to replace DLo and a big to play with AD. The draft capital included differs based on the players received.

The Lakers cannot afford to wait until January 15 because the help they need is not going to come internally. Here are six trades for a new point guard and big man the Lakers can make right now to save the season.

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1.Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn

Lauri Markkanen should be the Lakers top trade priority as he would be the perfect fit as a third star in the front court with LeBron and AD. His size, mobility, 3-point shooting would transform the Lakers.

For draft capital, the Lakers could offer a nearly unmatchable package that is the equivalent of 4 unprotected post-LeBron first round: 2029 pick, 2027 pick with 1–4 protection removed, 2028 pick swap, and 2030 pick swap. That’s the kind of return that Danny Ainge could not resist and the kind of draft capital offer that only the Oklahoma City Thunder could beat. Danny Ainge could be the only GM still here when 2027 to 2030 come around.

Markannen would give the Lakers a legitimate third star to pair with James and Davis and Dunn would be an excellent backup point guard. Swapping Russell and Christie for Markkanen and Dunn should Lakers’ top priority.

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2. Daniel Gafford and Tyus Jones

Daniel Gafford should be the L.A. Lakers’ next trade priority if they can’t pull off a mega trade for Lauri Markkanen. Gafford has the defensive and rim protection chops to step right into a Lakers two-bigs lineup with AD.

What makes this trade so attractive is both Gafford and Jones could easily step into the Lakers starting lineup. Jones is an excellent 3&D point guard with great ball security and Gafford the defensive center the Lakers need. There’s also a good chance the Lakers could pull off the trade with just two or three second round picks rather than giving up their one first rounder. Remember they got Rui from the Wizards for three second round picks.

Being able to replace Russell and Prince with two proven contributors who are better fits in Jones and Gafford at a cost of two or three second round picks would dramatically improve the Lakers starting lineup and rotation.

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3. Marcus Smart and Xavier Tillman

Marcus Smart and Xavier Tillman should be the Lakers third best option. Smart was All-Defensive Second Team last season, a former 3-time All-Defensive First Team, and former 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.

Xavier Tillman is an excellent defensive power forward and center who averages 6.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 blocks and 1.6 steals in just 20.6 minutes per game. He would be great as second big next to AD.
Trading Russell and Hayes won’t be enough for the Grizzlies to give up Smart and Tillman so the Lakers will likely have to include either their 2029 or 2030 first round pick with 1–5 protection in order to motivate Memphis.

Trading for Marcus Smart would essentially be the Lakers doubling down on defense as their identity and calling card. He and Tillman would transform the Lakers into a defensive juggernaut and top-3 NBA defense.

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4. Kelly Olynyk and Kris Dunn

Kelly Olynyk may lack the defensive and shot blocking chops of a Daniel Gafford or Xavier Tillman but his 3-point shooting, versatile playmaking, and high basketball IQ make him an dynamic fit next to Anthony Davis.

Kris Dunn is a 29-year old veteran point guard whose strength is his defensive ability although he has shot over 40% the last 2 seasons although on small number of shots. Dunn would be a excellent backup at point.
The Lakers would probably also have to give the Jazz a couple of second round picks as draft capital to incentivize them to make the trade but should not have to give up a first round pick for Olynyk and Dunn

Olynyk would be an outstanding fit as the second big next to Davis in the Lakers’ starting lineup and as AD’s replacement when he goes to the bench to rest and Dunn would give the Lakers a solid backup point guard.

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5. Alex Caruso and Andre Drummond

Alex Caruso should never have been allowed to leave in free agency and the Lakers should jump at the opportunity to bring him and Andre Drummond back, even if it cost them a protected 2029 or 2030 first round draft pick.

The problem is Caruso is not really a point guard, which means the Lakers would still have to make other moves to find a replacement for Russell at point guard unless Vincent can surprise everybody and become the starter. While Drummond would be a better backup center than Hayes, he’s not capable of starting and would only play when Davis was resting. The deal would be more attractive if the Bulls were willing to take multiple seconds.

If the Lakers can’t reach agreement with the Jazz for Markkanen and Nunn or Olynyk and Nunn or the Grizzlies for Smart and Tillman, then Caruso and Drummond would be the next best deal for a point guard and big.

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6. Pelicans’ Jonas Valanciunas and Dyson Daniels

Should the Lakers not be able to pull off a trade with the Jazz, Wizards, Grizzlies, or Bulls, they should look to trade D’Angelo Russell and Jalen Hood-Schifino to the Pelicans for Jonas Valanciunas and Dyson Daniels.

Jonas Valanciunas would give the Lakers the second big to start alongside Anthony Davis in a two-bigs lineup. While he only takes two threes per game, Jonas is shooting 38% from deep and averaging a double-double.
Valanciunas is actually perfect as a second big to play next to and backup Anthony Davis when he rests. He can stretch the floor to give AD and LeBron better spacing and he can bang with the bigger more physical bigs like Jokic to preserve Davis from getting injured or fatigued on defense.

Dyson Daniels is the sleeper in the trade and would be an excellent backup point guard prospect for the Lakers with future starting potential. He could be a game-changing point-of-attack defender for the Lakers at 6′ 8.”
Valanciunas is 31 and not part of the Pelicans’ long-term plans but Daniels as a key part of the team’s rotation and would probably ask for the Lakers to include their 2029 or 2030 unprotected first round pick to include Daniels.

Trading for Jonas Valanciunas and Dyson Daniels would enable the Lakers to upgrade their starting lineup by starting Jonas at the five with AD at the four and their primary backups with Dyson at the one and Jonas at the five.

Everything that had been right for the Lakers suddenly turned bad and the sunny optimism they could compete for an NBA championship without having to make a major trade has now been replaced with real concern.

The struggling Lakers have lost 3 of their last 4 games and face a daunting schedule for the rest of December where they could easily lose 5 of their 7 remaining games to end the year as a play-in team with a 17–17 record.
What a week ago looked like a Lakers team finally healthy and ready to start a long winning streak now suddenly looks like a flawed team that desperately needs a trade to upgrade starting lineup and backup center.

Over the next 2 weeks, the Lakers start with a 3-game road trip to Chicago, Minnesota, and Oklahoma City; followed by 2 games at home vs. Boston and Charlotte; and ending with Minnesota and New Orleans on the road.
Right now, it’s hard to imagine the Lakers beating the Timberwolves twice or the Thunder or Pelicans on the road, or Celtics at home. Then there are the two obvious trap games on the road against Chicago and Charlotte.

It’s not an understatement to say how the Lakers do over the next 7 games will likely determine how aggressive they are before the trade deadline. Right now, the Lakers are simply not a legitimate championship contender.

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Anthony Davis Soars But Lakers Lose LeBron Minutes

The most surprising stats from the Los Angeles Lakers’ last 4 games has been how Anthony Davis has taken his game to a new level but suddenly for some reason the team could not win the usual LeBron James minutes.

What’s more worrisome is the Lakers’ recent 4-game slide has happened despite a historic performance from Anthony Davis where he averaged 35.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 36.6 mpg.
Over the last 4 games, Anthony Davis shot 63.6% from the field, 66.7% from deep, and 72% from the line. He posted a team-best +1.1 net rating for the 4 games. Despite AD’s play, the Lakers were lucky not to lose all 4 games.

Statistically, the Lakers’ problem was LeBron, who posted a team-worst -19.1 net rating the last 4 games. That is extremely concerning considering LeBron’s age and mileage and the Lakers’ reliance on winning his minutes.
Over the last 4 games, LeBron averaged 27.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 11.3 assists with just 2.7 turnovers in 38.4 mpg. His 107.4 OffRtg was pedestrian but his 126.6 DefRtg was team second-worst after Christian Wood’s 127.1.

Bottom line, the Lakers have been in tailspin since winning the In League Tournament and the situation as reached urgent levels as the Lakers need LeBron James and the rest of the roster to play better if they want to win.

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Time for Darvin Ham to Change Lakers’ Starting Lineup

Darvin Ham has stuck with a starting lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. That lineup has started 12 games and played 132 minutes, most of any Lakers’ lineup.

Heading into what could be the most critical 7 games of this young season, the Lakers need to regroup and refocus their effort on playing with the energy and confidence that led them to win the In-Season Tournament. While the Lakers want to see how the addition of Gabe Vincent changes their rotations before actually making any trades, it will be interesting to see if Gabe’s presence could change who starts and plays point guard.

The Lakers need a starting lineup upgrade for D’Angelo Russell at point guard and Taurean Prince at small forward. Lakers need a defense-first 3&D point guard starter and a high-volume 3-point shooting wing starter.
Facing 7 challenging games to close out 2023, Darvin Ham should seriously consider replacing D’Angelo Russell with Gabe Vincent at point guard and replacing Taurean Prince with Rui Hachimura at small forward.

Hopefully, the quick road trip will give the Lakers players an opportunity to bond with each other and figure out how to turn this season around before it’s too late. The Lakers are unlikely to make any move until the deadline.
That means Ham and the Lakers are going to have to figure out what’s wrong with the Lakers using their current roster. They won’t be able to count in getting help from the trade market until after January 15th.

In the end, the Lakers need to survive the next 7 games. Losing 5 of the last 7 would mean the Lakers lost 8 of their last 11 games and would clearly signal that the Lakers were going to be major buyers at the trade deadline.

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%

Rob Pelinka and the Lakers may have an opportunity to pull off a pair of blockbuster trades and steal a pair of elite second-tier star players from potential dumpster fire sales by the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz.

Right now, the Lakers need to go all-in to upgrade the starting positions held by D’Angelo Russell and Taurean Prince if they want to be a legitimate contender to prevail and win their 18th NBA championship this season. The Lakers’ primary targets to replace D’Angelo Russell and Taurean Prince in their starting lineup should be the Grizzlies Marcus Smart on or after December 15 and the Jazz’ Lauri Markkanen on or after January 15.

While the Lakers are off to a relatively good start despite not having their full 14-man roster healthy and available to play, they already have a good idea of their major weaknesses and what they need to do to get better.
Despite a deep and diverse roster, the Lakers still need a viable long-term two-way point guard to replace D’Angelo Russell and a high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter to add firepower to their starting lineup.

Complicating the situation for the Lakers, LeBron James will soon be 39-years old and there’s no guarantee at this point he’s going to exercise his player option and play next season. He could leave as a free agent or retire.
While that is probably unlikely considering how well the King is playing, the Lakers know the clock is ticking and, at some point soon, they’re going to have to replace LeBron James despite how irreplaceable he will be.

Let’s look at the what it would take for L.A. to pull off a pair of blockbuster trades for the Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart and Jazz’ Lauri Markkanen that could transform the purple and gold from a contender to an NBA champion.

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TRADE 1: DEC 15 — MARCUS SMART AND JOHN KONCHAR

The first blockbuster trade the Lakers should pursue on or after December 15 would send D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and their 2030 first round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for Marcus Smart and John Konchar.

The Memphis Grizzlies are a mess. They’re currently 14th in the West with 6–17 record and zero chance of making the playoffs even with Ja Morant returning to play. They should love a Lakers’ post-LeBron pick for Smart.

For the Lakers, while they valued Russell’s scoring and playmaking, in the end, they simply did not believe he could be the starting point guard on a championship team. They believe Smart is a better player and better fit.
The Lakers saw what adding Jrue Holiday did to the Bucks and Celtics defenses and believe replacing D’Angelo Russell with Marcus Smart will make the Lakers a more dangerous team both offensively and defensively.

Realistically, this trade for Smart will have to be paired with a second trade come January 15 that addresses the Lakers’ pressing need for a third star and volume 3-point shooter to upgrade the offense of their starting lineup.

The starting lineup of Smart, Reddish, Prince, James, and Davis has the potential to be a defensive juggernaut. Hopefully, Vincent will stay healthy and help Vanderbilt give a strong defensive identity to the second unit.

In Marcus Smart, the Lakers get their long term solution at point guard and a player whose heart and energy are contagious. Pairing him with Cam Reddish could give Los Angeles the best defensive backcourt in the league. Importantly, the Lakers still maintained a 12-man rotation, which give them some valuable insurance against future injuries. Considering our history and how many players get injured, consolidating could be risky.

As the Lakers have to wait until Hachimura is eligible to be traded, they will be forced to rely on their championship defense and domination in the paint and at on the line to continue to carry them until January 15.

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TRADE 2: JAN 15 — LAURI MARKKANEN AND KELLY OLYNYK

The second blockbuster trade the Lakers should make on or after January 15 would send Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and what’s essentially three unprotected first rounders to Utah for Lauri Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk.

The Lakers already owe the Jazz their 2027 first round pick unless it’s one of the top four picks but could remove that protection so that the pick was essentially now a completely unprotected post-LeBron first round pick.

The Lakers could also include first round pick swaps for 2028 and 2029, which combined with the 2027 pick would essentially give the Jazz L.A.’s unprotected post-LeBron first round draft picks for 2027, 2028, and 2029.
Frankly, three post-LeBron unprotected first round picks could be the kind of offer it would take to convince Danny Ainge to trade Lauri Markkanen, who at 27-years old is now the closest thing Utah has to a franchise player.

Not insignificantly, Danny Ainge could also be the only NBA shot caller likely to still be on the job when the Lakers 2027 and 2029 first round draft picks will actually be made. He knows those picks could be top-5 picks.

The starting lineup of Smart, Reddish, Markkanen, James, and Davis could be the best in the entire NBA with an offensive ‘Big Three’ of James, Davis, and Markkanen and a defensive ‘Big Three’ of Davis, Smart, and Reddish.

Markkanen may not be a superstar but he is the perfect fit as a third star and floor stretching volume 3-point shooting forward the Los Angeles Lakers desperately need to balance their defense-first starting lineup.
This season, Lauri is averaging 23.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 33.5 minutes per game shooting 48.7% from the field, 39.0% from deep on 8.5 attempts per game, and 82.9% from the line on 5 free throws per game.

His size will also finally allow the Lakers to play the two-bigs lineups they envisioned and preferred at the start of the season before both Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes failed to play good enough defense to win the job.