The Lakers’ offseason shuffle is far from done, and the next move may come down to which player gives them the cleanest path out of a roster squeeze.
Los Angeles still has until the end of training camp to settle its roster, and the list of possible cuts or trade chips remains fluid. Bronny James, Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy have all been floated as names who could be moved or waived if the Lakers can’t line up a trade.
“Clearly, the Lakers need to dump someone, and I think it's going to be one of three players," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said. "It's going to either be Dalton Knecht, Jaden Hardy, or Bronny James."
Much of the summer talk has centered on Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt, with the Lakers trying to turn one of those pieces into a starter or another meaningful addition. Evan Sidery reported that Los Angeles has been working the phones on both players, and the extra second-round picks from the Deandre Ayton trade could be used to help land a starting-caliber wing.
“The Lakers are actively shopping Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade talks. After gaining two second-round picks in the Deandre Ayton trade, Los Angeles could consolidate those assets in a deal immediately for a starting-caliber wing," NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.
But another name has entered the conversation: Jake LaRavia. Sean Deveney of Heavy.com believes the Lakers could move him, either to bring in a better player or simply to get below the roster limit.
“Hustles, plays every game, but inconsistent. His contract makes him an attractive piece, though, as the Lakers are still figuring out the back end of their roster,” Deveney wrote.
LaRavia arrived last summer as a young player the Lakers hoped could grow into a steady rotation option. He did get minutes in the mix, but not enough consistent run to really lock in a role.
He has made $15 million early in his career, and that contract could make him appealing to teams looking for a relatively affordable add. If LaRavia ends up being the Lakers’ best trade asset among the players on the bubble, he could be the one who helps solve the roster crunch.
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Greens broader read on the team was pretty straightforward: there is more depth and more youth here than there was before, and that can be a good thing if the right pieces settle in quickly. For the Lakers, the real question is whether that pool of newer faces can become a strength instead of a project, because in a Western Conference that punishes uncertainty, the margin for error is thin and the difference between a solid season and a frustrating one could come down to which of those lower-profile additions actually takes a step forward. [Read more 🡒]
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Kelly Olynyk has surfaced as one low-risk option, but even that kind of roster fix can get complicated when other teams are circling the same veteran market. For the Knicks, the need is clear enough: they want a third center for insurance and depth, and the longer that search drags on, the more every potential target starts to feel like a player they cannot afford to miss. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Still Have One Roster Need They Clearly Do Not Trust
The Lakers spent the offseason trying to shore up the middle by adding Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney, but the picture at center still looks unsettled enough that the front office is keeping its eyes open. With the roster at full capacity, any move now would require some accounting work, which is usually a sign a team is still not fully convinced it has enough protection behind its front line.
Dwight Powell has come up as one possible fit, and the appeal is easy to understand: he already knows people in the building and would not need much of a reset to get comfortable. Even so, Los Angeles remains active in both the free-agent and trade markets, and the fact that it is still monitoring every avenue says plenty about how much trust it has in its current depth at the position. [Read more 🡒]