Lakers Trade Rumors: Hottest Reports Surrounding Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Lakers have won three straight and six of their last 10, meaning they'll enter Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline with a 27-25 record. While it's been a promising stretch, it doesn't necessarily mean that L.A.'s current lineup is poised to make another deep postseason run.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still good enough to beat any given team on any given night with the right supporting cast. This is why it wouldn't be a shock to see the Lakers shake up that cast at the deadline, as they did a year ago—and the front office is reportedly busy weighing its options.
"General manager Rob Pelinka was 'stuck on calls' all day, a team source told ESPN, discussing potential deals," ESPN's Dave McMenamin wrote on Tuesday.
What's unknown is what L.A.'s options actually are, and what moves could be made in less than 24 hours. We may not have answers until well into Thursday, but for now, let's dive into the latest Lakers trade buzz.
Dejounte Murray Talks Are 'Pretty Cold'
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Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray appears to be L.A.'s top target heading into the deadline. According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, the Lakers have made an offer for Murray that involves "[D'Angelo] Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, the 2029 first-round pick (preferably protected) and additional draft compensation."
The Hawks are reportedly looking for more, but that offer may be the best they're going to receive. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer said on The Stein Line (h/t Peter Dewey of Lakers Daily) that only the Lakers and Utah Jazz have made offers for the 27-year-old.
Despite this, the Lakers don't appear to be making much progress in talks with the Hawks. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective that talks between the two teams have been "pretty cold."
While a trade may eventually unfold, slow progress shouldn't come as a surprise. The Lakers can't offer additional first-round picks until the offseason, and Austin Reaves is the Laker who teams truly covet.
However, Reaves is "off the table" barring a superstar becoming available, according to Buha. A third team may have to get involved for Murray to make his way to Los Angeles.
D'Angelo Russell's Recent Play Makes Things Tricky
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Russell has played extremely well during L.A.'s latest surge, and really, since returning from a tailbone injury in early January. This has made him an attractive trade chip to some teams, and he has been involved in discussions.
"Russell's name has been mentioned in trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks in recent weeks, sources told ESPN, while the point guard managed to play some of the best basketball of his career," McMenamin wrote.
Of course, Russell's strong play complicates things for the Lakers. While a player like Murray might upgrade the starting lineup, there's no guarantee that he will.
Head coach Darvin Ham appears to have found the right lineup in James, Davis, Russell, Reaves and Rui Hachimura. The possibility exists that L.A. will rediscover the chemistry that propelled it to the Western Conference Finals a year ago. That possibility, along with an unfavorable trade market, may be preventing the Lakers from being overly aggressive in trade talks.
"The market continues to favor sellers rather than buyers," Buha wrote. "The Lakers have also grown more confident in their potential for internal improvement."
Russell still leaves plenty to be desired on the defensive end, but if he was also struggling offensively, Pelinka and Co. would likely be far more eager to replace him.
Lakers May Not Take a Home Run Swing
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According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, the Hawks aren't all that interested in acquiring Russell. While Amick floated the Brooklyn Nets as a potential third team in a Murray-Russell trade, the likely need for a third team could make it difficult to pull off.
That's not the only reason L.A. may ultimately not make a trade of the blockbuster variety. Keeping that 2029 first-round pick could be smart, as it would give the Lakers three first-round selections to trade in the offseason.
The Lakers may instead look elsewhere. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Lakers have "checked in" on Detroit Pistons forward Danilo Gallinari. Buha mentioned Dorian Finney-Smith, Jerami Grant and Bruce Brown Jr. as others who could fill L.A.'s needs.
Barring a deal that clearly favors Los Angeles, though, the Lakers may opt to do very little before the deadline.
"Otherwise, the Lakers will likely make a move along the margins, possibly shedding some salary in the process, and then work the buyout market for a player or two," Buha wrote.
A potential Murray deal still looms large, but the reality is that the Lakers might not execute the sort of overhaul they did at last year's deadline. That might disappoint some fans, but it's worth remembering that the roster that L.A. built in-season last year is largely the same one that's been on the court the past few games.
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