The Lakers are still looking for wing help, and Bilal Coulibaly has emerged as a name that fits the kind of move Los Angeles could actually make.
With the 2026-27 season approaching, the Lakers have already done some work to round out a roster that now looks more balanced after losing several rotation pieces this offseason. Even so, there’s still a feeling around the league that they need more.
Most of the talk has centered on bigs, but the real priority has been clear: Los Angeles wants a starter-caliber wing. That pursuit hit a wall after the team missed out on Jonathan Kuminga, and now the search has started over.
The names tied to the Lakers have been familiar ones - P.J. Washington, De’Andre Hunter, and Derrick Jones Jr. - but those paths may be difficult to pull off. That’s what makes Coulibaly such an interesting alternative.
One proposed framework would send Bilal Coulibaly to Los Angeles, with the Wizards getting Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, and a 2029 second-round pick originally belonging to Washington.
Financially, the deal works for both sides. The Lakers would move out LaRavia’s $6.0 million salary and Knecht’s $4.2 million contract, giving them a combined outgoing number of $10.2 million. That would allow them to take on Coulibaly’s $9.2 million cap hit while trimming about $1.0 million, which would give them a little more room to maneuver later in the season.
Los Angeles is currently sitting at a total tax of $200.8 million, according to Spotrac, which puts the team about $8.1 million below the first apron hard cap. On Washington’s side, the impact is minimal. The Wizards are at $192.0 million in total tax, and adding LaRavia and Knecht would barely move the needle, though they would still need to clear one player to get down to a 15-man roster.
The basketball fit is where this gets interesting for the Lakers.
Coulibaly is just 22, but the appeal is obvious. At 6’8″ and 200 pounds, he’s lean, but his 7’3″ wingspan and athleticism make him the kind of long, disruptive defender teams covet.
He flashed real growth in his sophomore season, even if 2025-26 was more of a step back. He finished that year averaging 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
The numbers weren’t as strong, but there was still plenty to like. His defensive tools give him a chance to be a useful secondary stopper on the wing, and he also showed some progress as a three-point shooter after a rough sophomore season from deep. He shot 42.5% from the field, 31.9% from three-point range, and 74.6% from the line.
For Washington, the draw is partly asset-related. Getting back the 2029 second-round pick matters. But LaRavia and Knecht could also be useful pieces in their own right.
LaRavia, 24, brings defense, energy, and a bit of everything else. He can pass, rebound, and space the floor, even if his three-point shooting dipped to 32.1% last season with the Lakers. He still posted 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 45.9% from the field.
Knecht is a different kind of gamble. The 24-year-old has had a tough time carving out a consistent role in Los Angeles since the failed trade with Charlotte.
Last season, he averaged 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 45.5% from the field and 34.2% from three. Still, there’s obvious scoring ability there, and a fresh start could help unlock it.
Neither player would walk into Washington with anything guaranteed. They’d have to earn minutes in a crowded situation. But both could end up helping the Wizards if they find the right fit.
For the Lakers, the bigger question is whether Coulibaly is actually available. Washington has added wing talent over the last three years, including AJ Dybantsa and Kyshawn George, and that raises the possibility that Coulibaly could be moved if the Wizards want to keep building out the roster. At the same time, he’s entering restricted free agency soon, so he may want a bigger role and a chance to boost his value.
That’s where Los Angeles comes in. The Lakers need a wing who can play real minutes right away, and Coulibaly checks enough boxes to make sense as a lower-cost target.
Whether the Wizards see him as part of their rebuild will decide everything. If they do, the Lakers will have to come up with more.
If they don’t, this is the kind of trade that could finally get them the wing help they’ve been chasing.
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