3 Trade Targets for Lakers to Consider Before Rumor Mill Picks Up

NBA trade season is coming soon.

The Los Angeles Lakers don't need to wait for its arrival—which unofficially happens on Dec. 15, when most players signed this offseason become trade-eligible—to start searching for reinforcments.

The following three players, for instance, all already look like clear fits for this championship-chasing club.

Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls

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Alex Caruso spent his first four NBA seasons with the Lakers. They should want the back-half of his seventh campaign to be spent with them, too.

He operates sort of like a jack of all trades, except he has clearly mastered one. His defensive effort is nothing short of elite, as evidenced by his selection to last season's All-Defensive first team. His instincts allow him to stay one step ahead of the opposition, and his unrelenting effort makes him more versatile than his 6'5", 186-pound frame would lead you to believe.

His Chicago Bulls also happen to be the Association's most obvious blow-up candidate, and he's one of several Windy City hoopers reportedly on L.A.'s radar. A member of the Lakers' 2019-20 championship team, he has proven he can substantially support the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The only question with Caruso is the trade cost. He might be a role player, but he's the kind of support piece who can prop up any win-now roster. To that end, his list of possible suitors might already reach double digits.

Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls

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CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 17: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls looks on against the Orlando Magic in the first half of the NBA In-Season Tournament at the United Center on November 17, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.(Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Lakers have two of the planet's most talented players in James and Davis. They also have this season's eighth-least efficient offense, per NBA.com.

It doesn't feel like those two things should be able to coexist, but the fact they do shows the flaws in the rest of this roster.

A high-end third option could be immensely helpful to the Lakers, and Zach LaVine would be incredible in such a role. He has some limitations as a defender and a primary shot-creator, but both could be masked in L.A. The Lakers could also help shift him into more of a finishing role, letting his fiery three-ball (career 38.2 percent) and anti-gravity athleticism shine.

His contract is, admittedly, enormous, but if that's factored into his trade cost, L.A. might have a chance to add a real difference-maker without giving up major assets.

Bojan Bogdanović, Detroit Pistons

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 02: Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Detroit Pistons poses for a portrait during Pistons Media Day at Little Caesars Arena on October 02, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rick Osentoski/Getty Images)

Bojan Bogdanović has been held out of action with a calf strain so far, but assuming that doesn't linger, he still looks like an obvious target for this team.

For starters, the 34-year-old looks totally out of place on the rebuilding Pistons. He'll escape his prime long before they enter their own, so a split seems best for both parties. Turning him into a draft asset or an upside-rich prospect should be a no-brainer for Detroit's front office.

Second, his trade cost shouldn't be exorbitant. He is a solid player, but not at all a spectacular one, and his current contract has only $2 million guaranteed for next season, per Spotrac. Suitors may only view him as a partial-season rental, and no one is paying a premium for an aging non-star in this situation.

Finally, his game looks like an effortless fit for this roster. His outside shot (career 39.4 percent) is the best part of his arsenal, but he also has the size to shoot over smaller defenders and the ball skills to slip past bigger ones. He'd be a helpful safety net for L.A.'s stars, spreading the floor when they're on it or assuming control of the offense when they aren't.