The Los Angeles Lakers are staring down a three-game skid and an increasingly urgent trade deadline. With February fast approaching, the pressure is mounting in L.A., and the front office is under the microscope. The Lakers are still being talked about as buyers, but there’s a growing sense around the league that they may not have the firepower to make the kind of move that shifts the needle.
According to league insiders, the Lakers’ current roster doesn’t offer much in terms of trade value. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that’s trying to retool on the fly and maximize what’s left of LeBron James’ championship window.
The assets they do have? Other teams just aren’t biting.
One name that’s been linked to L.A. for months is Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins. The Lakers have reportedly been circling Wiggins since last summer, hoping to add his two-way versatility to their rotation.
But Miami hasn’t shown much interest in what the Lakers are offering - and more importantly, the Heat aren’t actively shopping Wiggins. That’s a dead end, at least for now.
Another target high on the Lakers’ radar is Herb Jones, the defensive-minded wing from the New Orleans Pelicans. Jones would be a dream addition for a Lakers team that needs more perimeter defense and energy on the wing.
But the Pelicans, like the Heat, aren’t eager to part ways with one of their core contributors. Conversations have taken place, but New Orleans has made it clear that Jones isn’t available - at least not for what L.A. can offer.
And that’s the recurring theme here: the Lakers want to make a move, but their trade chips just aren’t moving the market.
Jones, in particular, carries a steep asking price. He’s the kind of player who doesn’t show up in flashy box scores but makes winning plays every night. That kind of value doesn’t come cheap, and right now, the Lakers seem priced out.
If the big swings don’t connect, the Lakers may pivot to a more modest target: Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis. Ellis has drawn some recent interest from L.A., and league sources suggest he’s at least on the radar as a potential fallback option. He’s not a star, but he’s a young, athletic guard who could help fill out the rotation and bring some defensive spark.
As for the players the Lakers could send out? The market isn’t exactly buzzing.
Names like Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, and rookie Dalton Knecht haven’t generated much traction in trade talks. Among their current assets, Rui Hachimura might be the most intriguing piece.
He’s on an $18.2 million expiring contract - a number that makes him a useful salary-matching tool, and his playoff pedigree could appeal to a contender looking for depth.
Still, even with Hachimura in play, the Lakers are facing an uphill battle. They’re in the hunt for upgrades, but without meaningful assets or draft capital to sweeten the pot, they may have to get creative - or settle for smaller moves that help on the margins rather than reshape the roster.
The clock is ticking, and the Lakers know it. The question now is whether they can find a deal that actually moves the needle - or if they’ll be forced to ride out the season with the group they’ve got.