NBA rumors: Nobody wants Lakers trade pieces, Bulls interested in Huerter, Spoelstra gets the bag

NBA Rumors: Nobody wants anything the Lakers have to offer

The Los Angeles Lakers pulled out a big win at home against the Toronto Raptors to improve to 19-19 on the season. Beating a subpar Raptors team at home was important for the struggling Lakers, but the fact that it took a heroic effort late from Anthony Davis to beat a retooling Raptors team at home is a bit concerning.

Getting back to .500 is a good thing, but the Lakers sit in tenth place in a loaded Western Conference, just one game ahead of the Jazz for the final Play-In spot. This is not where the Lakers expected to be after a run to the Western Conference Finals last season, and if they want to get back in the NBA Championship conversation, Rob Pelinka is going to have to make some magic happen, as this team just isn't working as constructed.

Obviously, LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren't going anywhere, so they'd have to find value with other players on their roster. Unfortunately, that appears to be easier said than done, as ESPN's Brian Windhorst says that nobody wants anything else that the Lakers have to offer.

"The Lakers have to go through this homestand and figure out whether they're gonna do something, but even if they want to, they don't have guys who have high value right now like the Raptors have had over the past few months. I don't even know if it's comparable."

- Brian Windhorst - ESPN

Windhorst notes the Raptors are a team that even after the O.G. Anunoby trade has a lot to offer. The Lakers on the other hand, can't say the same. Windhorst did name Austin Reaves as a player who would generate interest around the league, but Reaves is a player that the Lakers covet and are unlikely to part with.

Los Angeles is hoping veterans like D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura as well as younger players like Jalen Hood-Schifino and Max Christie can develop some interest around the league to help the Lakers improve now. The longer they continue to go with this roster as is, the more unlikely it is that they're going to figure out a way to get one of the top six seeds in the Western Conference and avoid the Play-In tournament.