Lakerholics

The Lakers have a unique opportunity, without giving up their two first round picks, to trade with the Bulls for a starting center and point guard who can transform the team into a legitimate championship contender.

With the Bulls committed to a complete teardown and rebuild, Rob Pelinka may finally have found a trade safe enough for him to pull the trigger after a helpless and hapless stretch of 22 months without making a single trade. Paralyzed by the disastrous Russell Westbrook trade, Pelinka has resorted to kicking the can down the road and moving the goalposts each offseason and trade deadline with platitudes like “you can’t buy what’s not for sale.”

The Lakers’ indecisiveness the last two years has been the direct result of ownership and front office not having a vision for the team or a strategic blueprint to guide them when building starting lineups and rotations.
Unlike teams like the Warriors, Suns, and Celtics, the Lakers have no clear plan or precise target to pursue. While other teams go after players whom they covet, the Lakers seem content with what the market might give them.

That’s not enough to save this season or give LeBron James and Anthony Davis the offensive and defensive weapons to win a ring or rookie head coach JJ Redick the chance to be the Lakers’ next Pat Riley or Phil Jackson.
But there is a point guard/center combination the Lakers could trade for that could not cost them a first round pick that has a lower floor but higher ceiling and better fit fit at both ends than Brogdon and Valanciunas.

The point guard/center duo the Los Angeles Lakers should be able to get without giving up a first round pick are the Chicago Bulls’ 3-point shooting, rim protecting center Nikola Vucevic and 3&D point guard Lonzo Ball.

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LAKERS-BULLS TRADE

While the Lakers need to trade for a point-of-attack guard or wing and a starting or backup shot blocking center, they also must be sure to trade for genuine two-way players who create needed spacing and/or playmaking.

The surprising reality of the Lakers’ situation is their defense has been steadily improving, ranking 7th in the league the last 10 games and 1st the last 4 games, with key defensive players like Vanderbilt soon returning.
Meanwhile, their once-vaunted offense has since been cratering. While currently ranked 17th in offensive rating for the season, the Lakers have fallen to 27th over last 15, 29th over last 10, and 30th over last 2 games.

What the Lakers need is to replace offense-only players with legitimate two-way players who can defend their position as well as space the floor. What they do not want is to trade offense-only for defense-only players.
The Bulls are seeking a first round pick for Vucevic and a second round pick for Ball. Three second round picks plus Russell, Hachimura, Vincent, Hood-Schifino, whom they could re-route, should be enough for Bulls.

L.A. gets a starting center to space the court and protect the rim in Vucevic to let AD to roam free on offense and defense plus a calculated gamble on rehabbing an elite two-way point guard in Ball for zero first round picks.
Significantly, the Lakers trade 4 players for 2 players to open up 2 roster spots plus save over $9 million in annual salaries to be used to fill those two open roster spots with available free agents or their own two-way players.

While Vucevic is not their center of the future and Ball is a calculated risk, landing 2 elite two-way starters for 4 one-way players and 3 second round picks while saving their own 2 first round picks is a big win for the Lakers.

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WHY NIKOLA VUCEVIC?

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Nikola Vucevic, 34-years old, 6′ 10′, 260 lbs, 2 yrs @ $20M
– TYR: 21.1 pts, 9.6 reb, 3.2 ast, 0.8 blk, 0.8 stl in 31.7 mpg
– 58.7% on 14.8 FGA, 47.5% on 4.6 3PA, 85.7% on 2.4 FTA pg

If the Lakers want a bruising big to pair with and backup Anthony Davis in the front court, they should target Bulls veteran center Nikola Vucevic, who can not only protect the rim and defend the post but also stretch the floor.

Rumors are the Lakers want to trade for Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas to pair with and/or backup Anthony Davis in the frontcourt. Trading for Jonas would be a big mistake as Vucevic would be a better fit as Lakers center.
Vucevic and Valanciunas are both just average rim protectors, averaging 0.8 blocks per game. Nikola may be more mobile as he averages 0.8 steals per game to Jonas’ 0.3 although Jonas only plays 19.7 mpg vs Nikola’s 31.7.

Nikola’s 3-point shooting is why the Lakers should pursue him as their next starting center. He is the latest version of Brook Lopez, a veteran traditional defensive center who smartly developed a 3-point shot to boost his game.
Redick wants the Lakers to shoot 35 to 40 3PA per game. Right now, they’re 27th in the NBA at just 33.4 3PA per game. Adding Vucevic’s 4.6 3PA per game would give the Lakers 38 per game, which would make them top-10.

Besides his volume 3-point shooting, Nikola Vucevic is a better fit than Jonas Valanciunas to play the starter-level minutes that would be required to start alongside Anthony Davis while also backing him up when he rests.
Contract wise, the 34 year old Vucevic is more almost twice as expensive. Nikola currently has 2 years left on his contract at $20.0 million per year whereas Jonas has 3 years left on his contract at $9.9 million per year.

While the Lakers top priority is an affordable defensive center who can play with and backup AD, their top trade target should be Chicago Bulls stretch center Nikola Vucevic, who shoots 47.5% on 4.6 3PA per game.

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WHY LONZO BALL?

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Lonzo Ball, 27-years old, 6′ 6′, 190lbs, 1yrs @ $21.3M
– TYR: 5.5pts, 3.2 reb, 3.7 ast, 0.6 blk, 1.0 stl in 17.7 mpg
32,2% on 5.4 FGA, 30.0% on 4.5 3PA, 100.0% on 0.6 FTA pg
– CAR: 11.6 pts, 5.6 reb, 6.1 ast, 0.6 blk, 1.5 stl in 31.9 mpg
39.9% on 10.8 FGA, 36.2% on 4.5 3PA, 58.8% on 1.1 FTA pg

While risking a second round pick and matching salary to trade for Lonzo Ball is a calculated gamble, the payoff could be reacquiring a player who once was and could still be the perfect point guard for the L.A. Lakers.

First, let’s be clear any trade for Lonzo Ball would be dependent upon the Lakers’ medical staff viewing his records and examining his knee to make sure he was healthy and he could reasonably remain so in the future.
Trading for 27- year old Ball is a low risk, high reward type of deal. If he can’t stay healthy, all the Lakers lose is a second round pick and what they paid him. If he can stay healthy, they could have an All-Star point guard.

While he’s just played in 11 games this season due to a weird wrist injury, the 27-year old Ball has shown tantalizing glimpses of the promising young point guard he had developed into for the Bulls before his knee injury.
Lonzo missed over two years after arthroscopic surgery on his knee didn’t solve his pain issues and ended up having a cartilage and a brand new meniscus transplant to give him a last chance to resume his NBA career.

His high basketball IQ, elite skills as a playmaker, volume high percentage 3-point shooting, and aggressive point-of-attack perimeter defense make a healthy Lonzo the ideal prototype for the Lakers point guard of the future.
The Bulls are obviously undergoing a complete teardown and rebuild so it makes sense for them to move Lonzo rather than losing him for nothing to free agency. For the Lakers, it’s an opportunity to trade for a former star.

While trading for injury prone Lonzo Ball is a calculated risk that might take a couple of seasons to pay off, it’s the type of low risk, high reward opportunities that can transform second tier teams into champions.

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POST-TRADE ROSTER

Trading for stretch center Nikola Vucevic and POA point guard Lonzo Ball not only turbocharges the Lakers’ starting lineup’s offense and defense to championship level but also elevates their roster to top-10 in the league.

In addition to the two roster spots opened up by the trade, the Lakers can open up a third roster spot by trading Maxwell Lewis, Jaxson Hayes, and a second round pick to Nets for proven backup center Day’Ron Sharpe.

The Lakers could then use those three open roster spots to sign Markelle Fultz as their backup point guard, trade and convert the two-way contracts of Quincy Olivari and Christian Koloko to standard NBA contracts.

That would give the Lakers a deep, talented, and balanced starting with Lonzo Ball at point, Austin Reaves at shooting guard, LeBron James at small forward, Anthony Davis at power forward, and Nikola Vucevic at center.
The beauty of the Lakers new starting lineup is that all five starters are potentially two-way players who can both space the court with their 3-point shooting and efficiently or adequately defend their individual positions.

The new starting lineup is backed up by an elite bench led by point guard Markelle Fultz, shooting guard Max Christie, small forward Dalton Knecht, power forward Jarred Vanderbilt, and backup center Day’Ron Sharpe.
Besides a 10-man rotation, the Lakers’ player development group includes point guard Quincy Olivari, two guard Bronny James, small forward Cam Reddish, power forward Chris Wood, and center Christian Koloko.

A blockbuster trade for Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball for three second round picks could be the best possible move the Los Angeles Lakers could make to transform themselves into legitimate championship contenders.

With less than two months before the February 6 trade deadline, Rob Pelinka may finally be facing what could be a franchise and career defining decision whether to save his picks or go all-in to win a championship.

After kicking the ball down the road last two summers and midseasons, there’s an expectation Pelinka might no longer believe the current roster is worth investing valuable draft picks that should be used to replace James.
The Lakers’ current tradable draft capital includes two first round picks, two first round pick swaps, and three second round picks. The Lakers also have $50M in tradable salaries, including $30M in expiring contracts.

Pelinka’s constant moving of the goal posts without making needed moves to upgrade the team’s perimeter point-of-attack defense and the lack of size and rim protection in starting lineup and rotation has been inexcusable.
What’s especially frustrating for Lakers fans is that there are moves the Lakers could make using their existing draft capital and matching salaries to clearly upgrade the Lakers to legitimate championship contenders.

The problem is Pelinka has neither the vision or courage needed to make moves in the NBA’s current competitive landscape. Rob fully understands his safe harbor as Kobe’s agent will not survive another Westbrook fiasco.
What he still needs to realize, however, is not taking advantage of what could be the Lakers’ last opportunity to win a second championship with a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis could be grounds for firing.

Here are two trades that will dramatically upgrade the Lakers starting lineup offense and defense with a elite pair of two-way starters and fortify the bench with two former starters and a new shot blocking backup five.

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1. Trade for Robert Williams III

While many expect the Lakers to keep their two first round picks and use second round picks to acquire Jonas Valanciunas as backup center, Pelinka would be smarter use one first round pick to trade for Robert Williams III.

Despite a troubling injury history, Williams is the single most important player the Lakers could acquire before the trade deadline. There’s no other available player capable of totally transforming the Lakers starting lineup. Starting Robert Williams III at the five alongside Anthony Davis at the four would dramatically upgrade the Lakers front court defense, giving them two elite defenders who can both protect the rim and defend the perimeter.

Williams would also turbocharge the Lakers’ offense with his aggressive low post scoring and offensive rebounding. Starting Robert Williams at the five would unleash Anthony Davis to wreak havoc at both ends of the court.
Robert is currently averaging 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 steals in just 18.7 minutes per game while shooting an elite 71.1% on 5.4 FGA, 50% on 0.5 3PA, and 92.3% on 1.9 FTA per game.

The Lakers would be smart keep Williams’ playing time close to 20 minutes per game to keep him fresh and healthy and avoid injuries, which means they still likely need a more experienced backup center than Koloko.
The Lakers also still need to replace D’Angelo Russell with a point guard who can not only help replace his 3-point shooting and playmaking but also give them better 1-on-1 point-of-attack perimeter defense than DLO.

The Lakers’ top-5 protected 2029 first round pick plus Vincent’s $11.0M contract for 2-years and Hayes’ $2.4 million expiring contract should be good enough for the Blazers to trade Robert Williams III to the Lakers.

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2. Trade for Dennis Schroder and Day’Ron Sharpe

Once the Lakers finalize the trade for Robert Williams III, they should then immediately focus on trading for the Nets’ Dennis Schroder and Day’Ron Sharpe to be starting two-way point guard and backup shot blocking center.

While the Lakers could stop after trading for Williams and start Austin Reaves at point guard with maybe Jarred Vanderbilt at shooting guard for defense, trading with Nets for Schroder and Sharpe fills two big holes.
Dennis Schroder should be the perfect defensive upgrade at starting point guard to replace D’Angelo Russell and Day’Ron Sharpe the perfect upgrade at backup defensive center when Robert Williams is resting on the bench.

Dennis Schroder has been on a tear since playing for Germany in the Olympics last summer and is a legitimate two-way player who would be an excellent upgrade over D’Angelo Russell as Lakers’ starting point guard.
Schroder is averaging 18.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 33.9 minutes per game while shooting 44.8 on 114.3 FGA per game, 38.5% on 6.5 3PA per game, and 88.9% on 3.7 FTA per game.

Since the Lakers should load manage Williams’ minutes, Sharpe would give them another talented rim protector to back up Robert and ensure that the Lakers would have an elite shot blocker on the court for all 48 minutes.
Day’Ron is averaging 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals in just 14.7 minutes per game as Nets’ backup five while shooting 36.4% on 3.7 FGA, 50.0% on 0.7 3PA, and 100.0% on 2.0 FTA per game.

The Lakers’ top-5 protected 2031 first round pick plus Russell’s, Hood-Schifino’s, and Reddish’s $24.6M in expiring contracts should be enough compensation for the Nets to trade Schroder and Sharpe to the Lakers.

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3. Lakers Post-Trades Starting Lineup & Rotation

After the two blockbuster trades, the Los Angeles Lakers would suddenly boast a dramatically upgraded starting lineup and deep bench rotation that could catapult the team into top-10 in the league on offense and defense.

Replacing Reaves and Hachimura with Schroder and Williams totally transforms the Lakers starting lineup and bench. Schroder and Williams turbo charge the starters while Reaves and Hachimura upgrade the bench.
Dennis Schroder, Dalton Knecht, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Robert Williams are an elite starting lineup and Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Day’Ron Sharpe a top-10 bench.

The trades have the Lakers swapping five one-way players and two top-5 protected first round picks for two two-way starters in Robert Williams and Dennis Schroder and one two-way rotation player in Day’Ron Sharpe.
Besides reducing their annual payroll for the year by $9.0M, the two trades opened up two new roster spots so the Lakers can sign two-way players Christian Koloko and Quincy Olivari to become part of the active roster.

That gives the Lakers a promising group of players under development with Quincy Olivari at the one, Bronny James at the two, Maxwell Lewis at the three, Christian Wood at the four, and Christian Koloko at the five.
While injuries will continue to be a huge wild card for the Lakers, the trades for Williams, Schroder, and Sharpe reshaped their starting lineup and rotation, giving them sorely needed size and perimeter defense.

While there is a risk in the Lakers using their only tradable first round picks for an injury prone center like Williams and two-way point guard like Schroder, their upside could easily be the Lakers 18th NBA championship.

The time may have come for Rob Pelinka not only to make a blockbuster trade to save the Lakers’ season but also to commit to a future built around a talented young superstar point guard who can unleash Anthony Davis.

Transitioning from LeBron James has been the monster lurking over every roster decision Rob Pelinka and the Lakers consider that involves trading one of two tradable first round picks. Use picks now or save them for later. With LeBron James finally slowing down a little and looking as if next season just could be his last, the real decision the Lakers may be struggling with right now might not be whether to go big but rather just how big to go.

Frankly, now could be the ideal time for the Lakers to change direction and trade for a young superstar point guard to replace LeBron and complement superstar Anthony Davis and rookie 3-point sharpshooter Dalton Knecht.
There are rumblings around the league that De’Aaron Fox, Trae Young, and LaMelo Ball, three dynamic young superstar point guards who’d be great fits for Los Angeles could become available before the next trade deadline.

The problem the Lakers and ay NBA team faces when a superstar is available is how to win a trade versus loaded teams like Brooklyn, OKC, Utah, and San Antonio, who control 62 first round picks next 7 years.
The Lakers obviously need an edge. Fortunately for them, two of the three young superstar point guards available this trade deadline — Trae Young and De’Aaron Fox — are now clients of Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group.

Competition for these star point guards, if available, will be fierce but the Klutch connection could ultimately be the difference maker, just as it was when the Lakers and Klutch forced the Pelicans to trade Davis to them.
There have been rumors the Lakers and Klutch might try to repeat the same trade strategy that resulted in the Pelicans trading AD to the Lakers in order to force Sacramento or Atlanta to trade Fox or Young to Los Angeles.

Ideally, any Lakers trade for a young superstar point guard should be a 3-for-1 trade where the Lakers send out Russell, Hachimura, and either Hood-Schifino or Vincent to match salaries and open up 2 roster spots.
The Lakers would still have enough matching salaries plus first round swaps and second round picks to hopefully trade for an affordable starting center like Robert Williams or Walker Kessler to pair with Anthony Davis.

While Pelinka has obviously been a little hesitant and gun-shy of making a major trade after the Westbrook fiasco, the pressure to do something to save the season to give rookie coach Redick a better roster is mounting.
The Lakers need another younger superstar to give LeBron James and Anthony Davis another chance at winning a championship. The timing could be ideal for the Lakers to consider a mega move to replace James.

Trading for a young superstar point guard to replace LeBron James is theoretically more important than winning the championship for any single season as it could impact the franchise’s success for a decade.
Pelinka knows his next big trade could easily be his last as the Lakers’ general manager, which is why he may finally be forced into a blockbuster trade to save the season and land the replacement for LeBron James.

Here are three proposed Lakers trades for a young superstar point guard along with the current player stats for each of the three trade targets and the projected starting lineup, rotation, and depth chart after the trade.

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1. TRADE FOR DE’AARON FOX

De’AAron Fox, 26-Years Old, 6′ 3″, 185 lbs, 2-years @ $35.6M
26.8 pts, 5.1 reb, 5.8ast, 0.2 blk, 1.9 stl in 37.7 mpg
48.5% on 20.3 FGA, 33.8% on 6.3 3PA, 80.3% on 6.2 FTA pg

The grand prize young superstar point guard target for the Los Angeles Lakers would be Sacramento King point guard De’Aaron Fox, who recently fired his old agent and signed with Rich Paul of the Klutch Sports Group.

A lightning quick speedster, De’Aaron Fox would be the perfect young superstar point guard replacement for the Lakers to pair with Anthony Davis to replace LeBron James’ scoring and playmaking going forward.
While the Lakers’ efforts to force Sacramento to trade Fox are a long shot, the Kings under Mike Brown are floundering for direction and the lure of 2 or 3 post-LeBron James Lakers first round draft picks could be appealing.

After trading for Fox, the Lakers would still have enough available matching salary in Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish plus a first round pick swap or multiple second round picks to trade for Robert Williams.

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2. TRADE FOR TRAE YOUNG

Trae Young, 26-Years Old, 6′ 1″, 164 lbs, 3-Years @ $46.0M
20.7 pts, 3.9 reb, 12.0 ast, 0.1 blk, 1.2 stl in 35.7 mpg
38.4% on 16.5 FGA, 30.6% on 8.3 3PA, 89.1% on 6.2 FTA pg

There’s a strong argument the best young superstar point guard the Los Angeles Lakers could pair with Anthony Davis would be the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young, the best playmaker and 3-point shooter of the 3 candidates.

An elite playmaker and shooter, Trae Young could simply be the best young superstar point guard replacement for the Lakers to pair with Anthony Davis to replace LeBron James’ scoring and playmaking going forward.
While the Lakers’ efforts to force Atlanta to trade Young are a long shot, the Hawks have a loaded and talented young roster for direction and the lure of 2 or 3 post-LeBron James Lakers first round draft picks could be appealing.

After trading for Young, the Lakers would still have enough available matching salary in Max Christie and Jalen Hood-Schifino plus a first round pick swap or multiple second round picks to trade for Robert Williams.

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3. TRADE FOR LAMELO BALL

LaMelo Ball, 23-Years Old, 6′ 7″, 180 lbs, 5-Years @ $48.8M
31.1 pts, 5.4 reb, 6.9 ast, 0.2 blk, 1.1 stl in 34.1 mpg
43.0% on 24.9 FGA, 35.6% on 13.1 3PA, 84.8% on 5.8 FTA pg

There’s no question LaMelo Ball at 6′ 7″ and 23-years old is one of the NBA’s best young point guards who just signed a 5-year monster extension with the hopeless, hapless, perennial bottom feeding Charlotte Hornets.

A unique talent and unicorn, LaMelo Ball joining the Lakers and following his brother Lonzo sounds like a crazy, wild pipe-dream come true but the younger Ball brother has a kind of basketball magic that belongs in L.A.
Without Klutch, the only advantage the Lakers might have in trading for LaMelo might be his personal desire to succeed where his brother failed or the lure of 2 or 3 post-LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers first round picks.

After trading for Ball, the Lakers would still have enough available matching salary in Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish plus a first round pick swap or multiple second round picks to trade for Robert Williams.

Rob Pelinka’s master plan to wait until the February 6 trade deadline when teams get more desperate and prices drop is a strategic miscalculation that winning the trade is more important than ending up with the right players.

The problem with Pelinka’s strategy is three fold. First, waiting two more months will inevitably result in the Lakers having fewer quality trade options. That is exactly what we saw last summer and last trade deadline. Second, waiting until the deadline which is over two months away is just too long for the Lakers to wait to upgrade what is a play-in roster at best. Without help, the Lakers will have zero chances of making the playoffs.

Third and most importantly, waiting until early February to upgrade the roster assumes there will be an acceptable deal as the deadline approaches. We saw last summer and trade deadline what happens when you do this.
Right now, there are good options to trade for a starting defensive center to pair with Anthony Davis and defensive point guard to pair with Dalton Knecht. There’s no guarantee those options will be available in February.

The teams that win trades are always the teams that trade for the right playes. The Lakers’ problems are that Pelinka lost his confidence in the wake of the Westbrook trade and realizes his next trade could be his last.
The result has been a consistent strategy of moving the goalposts and making promises he will ultimately fail to keep. First it was the new CBA. Now it’s Vando’s injury that’s responsible for Lakers not making a trade.

In the end, Rob Pelinka’s failure to upgrade the roster and fix obvious recurring problems related to size and defense have put the Lakers in a critical position. Time to refocus on making sure we get the right players.

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The Art of Picking the Right Players

Rob Pelinka and the Lakers need to fully embrace JJ Redick’s vision for this team and aggressively trade for an elite defensive starting center to pair with Anthony Davis and lock-down POA guard to pair with Dalton Knecht.

The Lakers have the draft capital (2 first round picks, 2 first round pick swaps, and 3 second round picks) and $52.5 million in matching salaries (Russell, Hachimura, Vincent, Hood-Schifino, Lewis) to make the trades.
The only question is whether the Lakers have the will and courage pull off the needed trades to transform the roster into championship caliber and give LeBron James and Anthony Davis the help they need to win it all.

Right now, Pelinka needs to grow some cajones and provide the Lakers with a legitimate starting-quality shot-blocking center to pair with Davis and a point-of-attack defensive perimeter point guard to pair with Knecht.
The Lakers can trade for the right candidates to fill both of those needs right now. It will likely cost them both picks but will give them a legitimate championship caliber starting lineup and a deep and talented rotation.

The Lakers should trade for two new starters and move two current starters to the bench. Starting-quality centers to pair with Davis include Robert Williams III, Walker Kessler, Myles Turner, Brook Lopez, and Nic Claxton.
Finding a starting-quality two-way point guard is a tougher challenge for the Lakers. Starting defense-first two-way point guards to pair with Dalton Knecht include Marcus Smart, Lonzo Ball, and Dennis Schroder.

Bottom line, Pelinka needs to go all-in to transform this roster into a championship team. To do that, he must prioritize trading for the defense-first starting center and point guard who would most raise Lakers’ ceiling.

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Affect on Trades of LeBron’s Struggles

Basketball pundits seem to believe LeBron James’ recent struggles may lead Rob Pelinka and the Lakers to keep their picks rather than going all-in to win another championship before the King calls it quits and retires.

Alternatively, LeBron’s struggles could motivate the Lakers to become even more aggressive with Pelinka using their existing draft capital right now to pull off a blockbuster trade for a superstar point guard to replace James.
The logic behind the Lakers doing this is the likelihood next season will be James final season and superstar point guards Trae Young, LaMelo Ball, and De’Aaron Fox just might be available right now in a blockbuster trade.

The Lakers have always been able to play a wide range of different players at point guard because LeBron James is usually the primary playmaker with the ball in his hands when the team is on offense in the half court.
With next season likely to be James’ final season, there is a greater priority for the Lakers to take advantage of opportunity to trade for his superstar playmaking replacement right now rather than waiting until next summer.

With 2 first round picks, 2 first round pick swaps, 3 second round picks, $52.5 million in matching salaries of 5 tradable players, the Lakers clearly have the needed components to put together a pair of blockbuster moves.
Visions of LeBron struggling and the league getting younger are more likely to motivate the Lakers to try to replace the King sooner than later. Reality is JJ Redick cannot build a championship team without a great point guard.

The right players for the Lakers to trade for are a new starting center to pair with Anthony Davis and a new starting point guard to pair with Dalton Knecht and replace LeBron James as one of the team’s two superstars.

Dalton Knecht’s emergence as the generational 3-point shooter the Los Angeles Lakers have long-coveted now gives them a New Big Three and frees them to trade their picks to upgrade their starting lineup defense.

Redick’s decision to make Dalton Knecht the Lakers’ starting shooting guard was a clear sign the Lakers view the talented young rookie as part of their backcourt of the future and an emerging star around which to build. While moving Russell to the bench was a big success, Reddish was never able to provide enough defense to offset his liability on offense. Replacing him with Knecht fixed the mistake and turbo charged the starting lineup.

Though the Lakers knew Russell and Reaves could not be a championship backcourt defensively, they decided they had no option but gamble on a Reaves and Knecht backcourt, even though it’s not optimal defensively.
While an offense-first starting backcourt of Reaves and Knecht might survive regular season, they’ll be hard pressed defensively to win in the playoffs, which is why Dalton starting could change Lakers’ trade plans.

Sooner rather than later, the Lakers need trades to pair Dalton Knecht with a new defense-first point guard who can defend the perimeter and pair Anthony Davis with a new defense-first center who can protect the rim.
Their assets to make those trades include their two available first round picks, three available first round pick swaps, and three second round picks. Russell, Hachimura, Hood-Schifino, and Lewis are logical salary filler.

As L.A. continues trying to thread the needle between winning now and building for the future, committing to Knecht as a part of their new long-term core should empower the Lakers to focus on trading for defense.
With a New Big Three of Davis at the four, James at the three, and Knecht at the two, Lakers need to trade for a defensive center who can legitimately start and a defensive point guard who can’t be played off the court.

Here are three top trade targets for new Lakers’ defense oriented starting point guard and center to provide championship caliber defensive help for New Big Three of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Dalton Knecht.

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1. Defensive Center Who Can Legitimately Start

The Los Angeles Lakers’ three top trade targets for a defensive center to start next to AD should be the Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, the Utah Jazz’ Walker Kessler, and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Brook Lopez.

• Robert Williams III, 27 Years Old, 6′ 9″, 249 lbs, 2 Years @ $12M
  9.6 pts, 6.0 reb, 1.4 ast, 1.9 blk, 1.1 stl in 18.7 mpg
  71.1% on 5.4 FGA, 50.0% on 0.3 3PA, 92.3% on 1.9 FTA pg
• Walker Kessler, 23 Years Old, 7′ 0″, 245 lbs, 2 Years @ $4M
  9.7 pts, 10.4 reb, 1.4 ast, 2.8 blk, 0.4 stl in 27.7 mpg
  69.9% on 6.1 FGA, 0.0% on 0 3PA, 51.9% on 2.3 FTA pg
• Brook Lopez, 36 Years Old, 7′ 1″, 282 lbs, 1 Year @ $23M
  12.3 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 2.3 blk, 1.3 stl in 32.7 mpg
  47.7% on 9.6 FGA, 36.5% on 5.3 3PA, 74.2% on 1.7 FTA pg

While all three defensive center options would help elevate the Lakers to legitimate championship contenders, Williams has greatest potential and risk, Kessler best long-term upside, and Lopez best short-term outlook.

Of the three options, Robert Williams III has the greatest ceiling as he has elite ability both to protect the rim and defend in space. Pairing him with Anthony Davis would give the Lakers the best front court in the league.
Trading for Williams would surely cost the Lakers one of their two available first round picks plus maybe Vincent and Hood-Schifino as salary filler. While Williams doesn’t stretch the floor, he’s still a big force offensively.

The obvious pluses of trading for Walker Kessler are his age and salary, which means his cost in terms of matching salary and cap impact are minimal. The negative is the Jazz are asking two first round picks for him.
Trading Kessler to L.A. could also undermine what Utah receives for the Lakers’ 1–4 protected 2027 pick they own. The Lakers may need to remove the 2027 protection plus include 2028 swap and 2029 pick to land Kessler.

Should the Lakers not want to risk trading for Williams or pay the price to trade for Kessler, Brook Lopez could be the ideal short-term option for the Lakers to pair with Anthony Davis in a modern two-bigs starting lineup.
While giving up a first round pick for a short-term solution like 36-year old Lopez is not ideal, there may be no better big to play alongside AD than Brook, who’s the only defensive center candidate who stretches the floor.

The Lakers need to trade for a defensive center like the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, the Jazz’ Walker Kessler, or the Bucks’ Brook Lopez to pair with Anthony Davis in the best defensive front court in the league.

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2. Defensive Guard Who Can’t Be Played Off Court

The Los Angeles Lakers’ three top trade targets for a defensive point guard to play with Dalton Knecht should be the Memphis Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart, the Chicago Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, and the Brooklyn Nets’ Dennis Schroder.

• Marcus Smart, 30 Years Old, 6′ 3″, 220 lbs, 2 Years @ $21M
  9.2 pts, 2.4 reb, 3.9 ast, 0.7 blk, 1.3 stl in 20.0 mpg
  38.2% on 7.6 FGA, 31.7% on 4.6 3PA, 85.7% on 2.3 FTA pg
• Lonzo Ball, 27 Years Old, 6′ 6″, 190 lbs, 1 Year @ $21M
  TYR: 5.0 pts, 2.3 reb, 3.5 ast, 0.8 blk, 1.0 stl in 15.5 mpg
  35.6% on 5.6 FGA, 20.5% on 3.0 3PA, 71.4% on 0.5 FTA pg
  LYR: 13.0 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.1 ast, 0.9 blk, 1.8 stl in 34.6 mpg
  42,3% on 10.9 FGA, 42.3% on 7.4 3PA, 75.0% on 0.8 FTA pg
• Dennis Schroder, 31 Years Old, 6′ 1″, 175 lbs, 2 Years @ 12M
  18.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 6.3 ast, 0.2 blk, 1.2 stl in 34.2 mpg
  43.4% on 11.9 FGA, 41.7% on 6.7 3PA, 88.1% on 3.7 FTA pg

While the three defensive point guard options would help catapult the Lakers to legitimate contenders, Smart has the safest ceiling and floor, Ball the greatest upside and risk, and Schroder the best short-term bet.

Former Boston Celtic Marcus Smart should be the Lakers’ top defensive point guard target. While not an elite 3-point sniper or playmaker, Smart’s point-of-attack defense, constant motor, and gritty leadership are elite.
Pairing an All-Defensive quality 1-on-1 point-of-attack defender like Marcus Smart with a generational 3-point shooter and scorer like Dalton Knecht is exactly what the Lakers need to compete for a championship.

Should L.A. be unable to interest the Grizzlies in trading Marcus Smart, the Lakers should turn to the tanking Bulls and see whether they’re interested in trading injury-prone point guard Lonzo Ball and his expiring contract.
While L.A. would need to have their doctors examine Ball and review his medical records, Lonzo Ball could be exactly what the Lakers need as a defensive point guard and Bulls may be willing to give him up for seconds.

If L.A. cannot trade for Smart or Ball, they should pivot and target the Nets’ current and Lakers’ former point guard Dennis Schroder, who’s elevated his play at both end in the Olympics for Germany and in the NBA for the Nets.
While he’s not the bigger point-of-attack defensive point guard Smart and Ball are, Shroder does have elite speed, quickness, and ability to hound opposing ball handlers full court and is also shooting over 40% from deep.

The Lakers need to trade for a defensive point guard like the Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart, the Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, or the Nets’ Dennis Schroder to pair with Dalton Knecht in one of the best two-way backcourts in the NBA.