Why Lakers Should Wait To Make Any Major Trades, Moves amid Latest NBA Rumors
It's too early for fans of the Los Angeles Lakers to panic. After all, the team has played only one game in the 2022-23 season, and that was a road matchup against the defending NBA champions.
However, there was cause for concern during the Lakers' 123-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. It wasn't that competitive of a game, considering Los Angeles once trailed by 27 points. The Lakers shot only 25 percent from three-point range (10-for-40), and they showed a lack of depth beyond the trio of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
After an offseason filled with trade rumors (mostly involving Westbrook), Los Angeles may need to make some in-season moves if it hopes to get back to the playoffs. Otherwise, the Lakers could miss out on the postseason for the second consecutive year.
But Los Angeles shouldn't make moves now. It's a bit too early for that. And it seems like the Lakers have that same mindset.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that Los Angeles plans to wait until "post-Thanksgiving, 20 games into the season" before making any trades. Why exactly?
Because, as Wojnarowski noted, that's when some teams that struggle early may decide to go into sell mode. They'll know they're unlikely to contend this season, and they'll want to improve their odds for the 2023 draft lottery, especially considering there's a star player (Victor Wembanyama) in the upcoming class.
That's why Wojnarowski also anticipates more teams to be sellers this season than in recent years.
"As more teams become sellers ... you start to see the asking price in trades go down. It's supply and demand," Wojnarowski said Tuesday during an appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter. "So expect the Lakers really to get to that 20-game point where teams kind of reach an inflection point about how they want to proceed and then see what might really be available to help improve this Lakers team."
For Los Angeles to make any moves, it will likely need to trade Westbrook (who will be a free agent at the end of the 2022-23 season) along with a first-round draft pick or two. Most of the rumors involving the Lakers have had them parting with that type of package.
Perhaps Westbrook will increase his value over the next month if he proves that he's going to have a bounce-back season. He didn't have the best showing in his first year in Los Angeles. In Tuesday's season opener, the 33-year-old point guard scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting and tallied 11 rebounds and three assists.
Even though James, Davis and Westbrook are all talented players, they may just not mix well together on the court. It could be better for the Lakers to surround James and Davis with strong shooters who would be better complements to their playing style.
But the market for those types of players may expand as the season goes on. So the longer Los Angeles can wait it out (while trying to stay in contention in the meantime) could help it find the best possible trade for its future.
Right now, the Lakers need to win as many games as possible under first-year head coach Darvin Ham. General manager Rob Pelinka should stay aware of the market, realizing that more trade possibilities could develop down the line.
And then, Los Angeles should make the necessary moves to help it have a strong rest of the season and push its way into the playoffs. That seems to be the best blueprint for the Lakers to follow moving forward.
