Lakers' Blueprint for 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
The next few weeks will shape the direction of the Los Angeles Lakers' 2022-23 NBA season—and quite possibly several campaigns beyond.
The Lakers have to decide what, if anything, they'll do at the upcoming trade deadline.
Do they go for broke, unload the two first-round picks they're allowed to trade (2027 and 2029) and hope the stars magically align for a deep playoff run? Do they package one of those picks with an expiring contract to fill a need or two without completely emptying the asset collection? Or do they sense this squad doesn't have a high enough ceiling to justify such a sacrifice and simply stand pat?
We'll examine those questions and more while laying out the Lakers' blueprint for trade season.
1. Settle the Draft-Pick Debate
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The will-they-or-won't-they debate has raged on all season about L.A.'s willingness to unload one, both or none of those first-round picks. While the external chatter about that decision has been deafening at times, it seems the internal debates have been equally animated.
"You've got a lot of the organization saying, 'We should trade picks and win now,' but some in the organization are saying, 'Do not sell out the future,'" an executive told Heavy.com's Sean Deveney. "And [Lakers governor] Jeanie Buss is with the second group, and that is what matters most."
If the Lakers aren't giving up any draft picks, they can forget about an active deadline in Hollywood. Those are the only true trade assets they possess. They have a few sizable expiring salaries on the books, but the 2023 free agency class isn't great, which torpedoes the appeal of that financial flexibility.
On the other hand, though, L.A. could hold significant buying power if it puts both of those picks in play. They'll convey long after LeBron James, who turned 38 last month, hangs them up and could presumably land high up the draft board.
Before the Lakers do anything else deadline-related, they have to settle this argument once and for all.
2. Prioritize High-End, Two-Way Role Players over Stars
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The temptation of pursuing a third star is real for the Lakers. It wouldn't be just about having three elite players on the same roster, it would be the insurance policy of still having two stars if one went down at the wrong time.
Considering James' age and Anthony Davis' injury history, that protection certainly has its appeal.
However, star power isn't the Lakers' issue. Both James and Davis have played at top-10 levels at times this season. The real problem is the ill-fitting supporting cast around them. The James-Davis duo should be a cheat code, but in their 484 minutes of shared floor time this season, the Lakers have only fared 2.1 points better per 100 possessions than their opponents, per NBA.com.
The Lakers need more good players—not necessarily great ones—around their leaders. Russell Westbrook was a brutal fit from the moment his trade to L.A. was finalized, and there isn't nearly enough consistency from the rest of this roster. A package like the oft-discussed deal for shot-blocker Myles Turner and net-shredder Buddy Hield would help fill out the critical closing lineup and give L.A. a chance to compete in the postseason.
3. Scour the Market for Cheap Shooting
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Coaches rarely detail their desires for roster upgrades to inquiring reporters, and Lakers skipper Darvin Ham was mostly tight-lipped about his wants when pressed for them recently.
He did, however, sneak in a quick request by noting that "shooting always helps."
The Lakers don't have nearly enough spacers on their roster. You'd think a roster that needs to widen attack lanes as much as possible for James and Davis (and Westbrook if he's still part of the plan) would be overloaded with shooting. Instead, this is one of the worst shooting teams in the Association, ranking dead last in made threes (10.3 per game) and 27th in accuracy (33.8 percent).
L.A. has too many needs—add size, competent wings, defense and playmaking to the list—to invest a ton of assets into shooting specialists, so the front office needs to sniff out bargain-rate shooters where possible. If a one-note contributor like Doug McDermott could be had for a second-round pick or two, the Lakers should be all over that type of trade.
