If there was one thing the Los Angeles Lakers knew they couldn’t do, it would be in the Play-In team again.
Right now, that’s the position the Lakers are in. There’s a lot of season left, but Los Angeles hasn’t played like a team looking anywhere close to going on an elongated winning streak.
Under first-year head coach JJ Redick, the Lakers are in a familiar position—one that has become all too familiar this late in LeBron James’ career.
Can Los Angeles do something in the trade market to change the Lakers’ path?
It’s going to be difficult.
The Western Conference is as tough as it has ever been. That means, by all accounts, the Lakers need to make multiple moves along with a healthy James, a motivated Anthony Davis, and more contributions from Dalton Knecht.
The Lakers’ trade chips are D’Angelo Russell ($18.6M expiring contract) and first-round draft picks in 2029 and 2031.
Technically, you can count James as a tradeable asset, but he has a no-trade clause, and there’s no indication that he would want to leave Los Angeles. Add in the fact that James loves that son Bronny is with the same organization, and any thought of James leaving is borderline delusional.
Austin Reeves is under a team-friendly contract; on paper, he’s a significant part of the future. Max Christie has no trade value.
So, for the Lakers to turn this around, they need James to be healthy and Davis to play on an all-NBA level every night. Rui Hachimura must be as efficient as possible, with Reaves doing the same.
The “others” have to be contributors when their number is called. That would include Russell, Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, and a host of others.
In other words, this looks like a Play-In team at best.
