With the 2026 NBA trade deadline just over two weeks away, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves at a familiar crossroads: caught between the urgency of maximizing their current core and the long-term flexibility they’ve carefully preserved for future offseasons. The front office has made it clear they’re reluctant to take on long-term salary, especially with significant cap space projected for both the 2026 and 2027 offseasons. But here’s the reality - this roster, as constructed, isn’t quite championship-ready.
When fully healthy, the Lakers are a top-tier team in the Western Conference. They’ve shown they can hang with just about anyone, and a top-four seed is well within reach.
But making a deep playoff run - the kind that ends with a parade - is going to require more than just health. It’s going to take reinforcements, particularly on the defensive end.
And that’s where the dream scenario comes into play.
The Lakers have reportedly had their eyes on New Orleans Pelicans wings, with Herb Jones drawing particular interest. It’s easy to see why.
Jones is the type of defensive stopper who could instantly elevate L.A.’s perimeter defense. But there are two major hurdles.
First, the Pelicans aren’t looking to move Jones - or Trey Murphy III, for that matter - ahead of the deadline. Second, even if they were, the Lakers simply don’t have the kind of trade assets that would match what New Orleans would demand.
Still, let’s play out the dream scenario.
In the best-case version of events, the Pelicans decide to pivot toward a rebuild and start shedding long-term contracts. That opens the door for the Lakers to get involved.
From there, the hope would be that New Orleans accepts a package built around expiring contracts, a young prospect, and a future first-round pick. It’s not likely - but this is about what could happen, not what’s most probable.
For Herb Jones, the Lakers’ ideal offer might include one of their expiring deals - think Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, or Maxi Kleber - along with rookie Dalton Knecht and their 2031 first-round pick. That’s a deal that works under the salary cap and doesn’t compromise the Lakers’ core rotation too heavily.
Trey Murphy, with a slightly larger contract, would require a bit more outgoing salary. In that scenario, two of those expiring contracts would be needed, plus Knecht and the same 2031 pick. Again, it’s a deal that fits under the cap and keeps the Lakers from giving up Rui Hachimura, who’s been a key piece off the bench and could continue to anchor the second unit.
In both hypothetical trades, the Lakers would be sending out more players than they receive, which opens up a roster spot. That could be used to convert one of their two-way players - Nick Smith Jr. or Drew Timme have both had moments this season - or to sign someone like Kobe Bufkin to a full contract for the stretch run. There’s also the option of scanning the waiver wire post-deadline for a low-cost veteran addition.
The upside of these dream deals? Knecht would get a chance to develop with a rebuilding team, the Lakers would add a high-level wing defender to their starting five, and they’d do it all without sacrificing key rotation depth or long-term financial flexibility. Either Jones or Murphy would likely slide into the starting forward spot, pushing Hachimura to a more natural bench role - a move that could help balance the rotation and boost the team’s overall two-way impact.
Of course, this all hinges on the Pelicans being willing to deal. And that’s where things get tricky.
The Lakers only have one tradable first-round pick at the moment - either their 2031 or 2032 selection - and the arrival of Luka Dončić has diminished the perceived value of those picks. With L.A. now firmly in win-now mode, rival teams know those future picks may not be as high in the draft order as they once might have been.
And let’s be real - one first-rounder and a few expiring contracts probably won’t be enough to pry away a young, high-upside wing like Jones or Murphy. Front offices around the league have seen what happens when you sell low or get too cute with your trade calculus. The Luka deal was an outlier, and it’s unlikely another team makes that kind of mistake again.
Still, this is the kind of move that would check every box for the Lakers. Defensive upgrade?
Check. Cap-conscious?
Check. Keeps the core intact?
Check. It’s a high-ceiling swing that could reshape the team’s playoff trajectory - if everything breaks just right.
So while the odds of it happening are slim, the vision is clear. This is what a dream deadline looks like for the Lakers: adding a premier defensive wing without mortgaging the future or gutting the roster. Now it’s just a matter of whether the stars - and trade talks - align.