The Los Angeles Lakers are at a crossroads this offseason. Kinda feels like that every year, come to think of it. That's what life is like for the most famous NBA franchise, which also happens to employ the best and most famous player of his generation.
The Lakers looked overmatched for much of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they need to make some changes to ensure that doesn't happen again next year. In Luka Dončić and LeBron James, they have a strong foundation. Now president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka needs to put the right pieces around them.
Lakers fans are used to dreaming big, and who can blame them? This franchise has pulled in more top-shelf talent over the years than a Wes Anderson movie, and it's not like that was something that just happened in the days of Jerry Buss. It was only February when they shocked the NBA world by sending Anthony Davis to Dallas for Luka. Just a few years ago, they traded for Davis, who even then was considered one of the brightest young stars in the game.
With how much players move around these days, it doesn't hurt to shoot for the moon. How does the saying go? Even if you miss, you'll still land among the stars. That's what the Lakers need, another star to put them over the top and paper over their glaring deficiencies.
Giannis Antetokounmpo would most definitely do that. To a lesser degree, so would Kevin Durant. As good as they are though, those two players aren't realistic targets, even if there's a chance (maybe a certainty in Durant's case) that they both end up being moved this summer.
The nature of wheeling and dealing in the modern NBA means having to contend with the salary cap, and most specifically, the apron, which can hamstring a team for spending too egregiously. Trades are more difficult to make work than they used to be, as the money needs to come out close to even on both sides.
For Giannis and KD, two players who are set to make almost $50 million apiece next year, the Lakers don't have much of a way to fit either of them alongside Luka and LeBron, unless LeBron decides to decline his player option and come back for tens of millions less. We wrote about the possibility of him giving the Lakers a (relatively) small discount earlier in the week, but there's no way he's going to leave $30 million on the table to become the third banana behind Giannis and Luka.
Who is the top target the Lakers can realistically make a play for?
Pelinka knows the Lakers' strengths, and more importantly, he knows their weaknesses. That means that he knows what kind of player would help the team more than any other: a center who can protect the rim and raise the team's defensive ceiling.
There are several players out there that could fit that bill to some degree, including Walker Kessler, Clint Capela, Mark Williams (just kidding) and Deandre Ayton. The Lakers are all about making a splash though, and none of those players would really do that, even if they would be a vast improvement over the current situation.
The Lakers need to make a run at Jaren Jackson Jr.
The Memphis Grizzlies are in a state of flux right now. Taylor Jenkins was fired as the team's head coach with just nine games remaining in the regular season, but it did nothing to stop the Grizz's months-long slide. Memphis was the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference as recently as February 27, but they finished 10-14 to slide to eighth. After making it out of the play-in by beating the depleted Mavericks, they were smoked by the Thunder in a four-game sweep in the first round.
Nobody knows what the Grizzlies are going to do. Do they hope that a new voice in the locker room is enough to change their fortunes, or do they come to the painful realization that they won't be able to seriously contend in the West as presently constructed? Ja Morant has been an unreliable presence, due to both injury and suspension, and the organization could well decide that it's time to go in a different direction entirely.
That could mean moving on from JJJ also if ownership decides to slam the reset button.
If Jackson is available, the Lakers should pounce, because he's exactly what they need. The 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year would cover up the defensive sins of L.A.'s perimeter players, but he's much more than just a defensive specialist. He'd also give Luka and LeBron someone to throw it to down low, and after so many fruitless possessions against the Wolves where the Lakers never even got the ball inside the 3-point line, that sounds like a nice change of pace.
Jackson averaged over 22 points per game each of the last two years, and his 37.5 percentage this past year from 3-point range would allow the Lakers to stretch the floor in a way they haven't been able to do since Anthony Davis left town.
The Grizzlies aren't going to just give Jackson away, and the Lakers don't have much in the way of draft picks that they can offer. This deal would likely take a third team to make it work if Memphis is looking for picks in return, but it's certainly feasible, as the salaries of Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura match up closely enough with Jackson's that even a straight 2-for-1 trade works.
Losing Reaves and Rui would hurt, but that's the price of doing business for a young star. Reaves especially has been coming into his own offensively, but it's become clear that his defensive shortcomings just aren't going to work next to Luka and an aging LeBron. He's the best trade asset the Lakers have.
Rui was one of the Lakers' best guys in their series against the Wolves, but Jackson is still a clear upgrade. He's also only 25, so he could be around to pair with Luka long after LeBron retires.
The Lakers have had over a week to lick their wounds. Next season will be here before we know it. Let's see if Rob Pelinka can pull another rabbit out of his hat.