A Lakers-Clippers trade doesn’t happen often, but when the stars align-and the drive is only a few freeway exits away-it makes all the sense in the world. That’s exactly the kind of scenario that could be brewing in Los Angeles as the 2025-26 season unfolds. The Clippers are sinking fast, and the Lakers might just find a perfect midseason pickup sitting right across town.
Let’s start with the obvious: the Clippers are in a tailspin. At 7-21, they’re sitting 13th in the Western Conference, staring down the barrel of a lost season.
And to make matters worse, their lottery pick is headed to Oklahoma City. That’s a brutal spot to be in-losing games and losing draft capital.
So, what comes next? Typically, it’s time to start listening to trade offers and shifting focus toward the future.
For the Lakers, that future still revolves around maximizing the window with Luka Dončić, and there’s a familiar face on the Clippers’ roster who could help them do just that: Derrick Jones Jr.
Jones isn’t a household name, but he’s the kind of role player who can quietly elevate a contender. Lakers fans might remember him from the 2023-24 season, when he played alongside Dončić in Dallas.
Back then, he averaged 8.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting a solid 48.3% from the field and 34.3% from deep. But it was in the 2024 playoffs where he really turned heads.
Jones started all 22 postseason games for the Mavericks and upped his production when it mattered most. He averaged 9.1 points per game and knocked down nearly 37% of his threes, all while playing the kind of defense that doesn’t always show up in the box score but makes a real difference in winning basketball.
That performance helped him land a three-year, $30 million deal with the Clippers last summer. Now in the second year of that contract, he’s making $10 million-a manageable number for a Lakers team looking to bolster its wing defense without blowing up its core.
Jones brings exactly what the Lakers need around Dončić: length, athleticism, and defensive versatility. He’s not going to be a high-volume scorer, but he doesn’t need to be.
His ability to guard multiple positions, run in transition, and knock down open shots makes him a seamless fit next to a high-usage star like Dončić. And the chemistry?
That’s already been tested and proven in a deep playoff run.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Jones is a name worth keeping an eye on as the trade deadline approaches. Given the Clippers’ struggles and lack of draft assets, they may be more open to reasonable offers than ever before. That opens the door for a team like the Lakers to swoop in and add a playoff-tested contributor without giving up the farm.
Of course, there’s another Jones on the Clippers’ roster who might get Lakers fans dreaming a little bigger, but let’s be real: Derrick Jones Jr. is the one who’s actually within reach. He’s affordable, fits a clear need, and already has a track record of playing well alongside the Lakers’ franchise cornerstone.
If the Lakers are serious about making a push this season, this is the kind of move that makes sense. It’s not flashy, but it’s smart. And in a city where both teams share the same building, sometimes the best trades are the ones that don’t require a moving truck-just a new locker room.