Fansided

6 non-star trades Lakers can make to contend

The Los Angeles Lakers sit at 19-19 and 10th in the Western Conference but have their sights on contention. These are six non-stars that could make a star impact for the Lakers. 

By N.B. Lindberg

Miami Heat v Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat v Los Angeles Lakers / Harry How/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 7
Next

The vibes around the Los Angeles Lakers have not been immaculate recently. After winning the In-Season Tournament, they’ve slumped to a 5-10 record, LeBron is unhappy, players are complaining about rotations, and head coach Darvin Ham’s job security is in question. 

The Lakers are close to contention

Despite a disappointing season, the Lakers have the bones of a contender. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have arguably been the best duo in the league. Throughout NBA history, having two All-NBA quality players is a great start to a champion. 

While Laker fans would undoubtedly love another star to play alongside James and Davis, having the right complementary players around the pair is a championship formula. To land an impact rotation player, the Lakers will likely have to move on from D’Angelo Russell. They’ll need his $17.3 million salary to match salaries, but it will require them to wait until Jan. 15 to make a trade because Russell re-signed using bird rights this offseason.

The Lakers can trade one of their 2029 or 2030 first-round picks, but neither will be unprotected if they trade for a non-star-level player. With James just turning 39 and Davis turning 31 this March, Lakers picks at the end of the decade are incredibly valuable. 

For as poorly as the Lakers’ season has gone since winning the inaugural IST, they have most of what they need to be a contender. And with the right deadline day move, they could once again be a team no one wants to play. These are six non-star trades the Lakers can make to contend. 

Home/Los Angeles Lakers