Los Angeles Lakers
Trade meter: 8
What to watch: Rob Pelinka
The Lakers' general manager was asked in the offseason about the heightened urgency to surround LeBron James with a roster that can compete for a championship.
"Let me be abundantly clear," Pelinka said. "We have one of the greatest players in LeBron James to ever play the game on our team. He committed to us with a long-term contract, a three-year contract. So of course we will do everything we can, picks included, to make deals that give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end. He committed to our organization. That's got to be a bilateral commitment, and it's there."
Four months into the season, the Lakers are contending just to compete in the play-in tournament. Their lone regular-season transactions have been waiving Matt Ryan to create roster and financial flexibility and signing Sterling Brown to a 10-day contract.
The Lakers -- like the league's other 29 teams -- have been playing the waiting game to see which teams might eventually tear down their rosters and make players available in trades.
But what happens if the Lakers get to the trade deadline and there isn't an All-Star-caliber player available? Would they make a smaller move that strengthens this season's roster at the cost of additional salary, future cap flexibility and one (or both) of their available first-round picks?
For example, a hypothetical trade to acquire Kyle Kuzma from Washington for a 2027 first-round pick would help the roster now, but the Lakers could also wait until July -- when he becomes a free agent -- to sign him outright without sacrificing that pick.
Would the Lakers pass on the chance of improving the roster now and wait until the offseason with the hope of landing that third All-Star?
The free-agent class could include the names of James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Fred VanVleet, Draymond Green and Khris Middleton.
The trade market is less appealing when you consider that the Lakers project to have $35 million in cap space, not enough to acquire a player like Zach LaVine or Bradley Beal if they were to become available in a trade. They could orchestrate a sign-and-trade with Russell Westbrook, but that would require a team to commit substantial money in the first year to the point guard.
The offseason is six months from now, and Pelinka has an obligation to look out for the best interest of the Lakers organization both now and the future. But remember what James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin in late December.
"I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA," he said. "It's not in my DNA anymore. ... We'll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years"
Front-office deadline history: In his four years of running the Lakers' front office, Rob Pelinka has made one regular-season trade.
Last regular-season trade: Traded Rajon Rondo to Cleveland and $1.1 million cash to the Knicks in January 2022. The trade lowered the Lakers' tax bill by $5.5 million.
Trade we would like to see: Two different trades. Patrick Beverley and Chicago's 2023 second-round pick to the Spurs for Josh Richardson. Also, Kendrick Nunn and a 2027 first-round pick (top-seven protected) to New York for Immanuel Quickley and Svi Mykhailiuk. If the first-round pick isn't conveyed, New York would receive second-round picks in 2027, 2028 and 2029.
Trade exceptions: None
Cash available: $6.4 million (to send and receive)
Salary info and restrictions:
▪Los Angeles has an open roster spot.
▪The Lakers are $18.6 million over the luxury tax and are projected to pay a $40.6 million penalty.
▪LeBron James cannot be traded.
▪The Lakers would owe Anthony Davis 15% of his remaining salary (not including the player option) in a bonus if he is traded.
Draft assets:
▪The Pelicans have the right to swap firsts in 2023.
▪The Lakers owe an unprotected first-round pick to the Pelicans in 2024. New Orleans can choose to defer the pick to 2025.
▪The Lakers are limited to trading at most two first-round picks.
▪The Lakers have seven second-round picks available to trade.
