Why Herb Jones Trade Could Unlock Lakers' Title Push with LeBron, Luka amid NBA Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers might need a lift to put themselves, Luka Dončić and LeBron James in position to compete for an NBA title.

Shifting their attention to the bottom of the Western Conference standings could help them find exactly what they need.

That's where they'll spot the New Orleans Pelicans, a team with far more trade-market utility than their worst-in-the-West 3-22 record would lead you to believe. While there are several candidates potential poachers might have their eyes on, it's versatile defensive stopper Herb Jones who should have L.A.'s full attention.

He's been tricky (if not impossible) to pry away from the Pelicans in the past, but they're now "starting to listen and at least show some willingness to listen" to trade offers for him and Trey Murphy III now, Jake Fischer revealed on a Bleacher Report livestream (via HoopsHype).

While Murphy might be the bigger prize, Jones should be the Purple and Gold's preference for two reasons.

First, he does his best work on the defensive end, which is where the Lakers need the most help. Plus, they're well-positioned to mask his offensive limitations since opposing defenses have to spend so much energy and focus on trying to contain Dončić, James and Austin Reaves.

L.A.'s sixth-ranked offense already has what it needs to contend for the crown. That isn't remotely the case for its 21st-ranked defense, though. As hoops historians can attest, it generally takes top-10 efficiency ranks on both ends of the floor to win a championship.

Jones is one of the stingiest stoppers around. He has everything you'd want in a perimeter defender: length and strength, energy and effort, on-ball peskiness and off-ball playmaking.

His arrival wouldn't single-handedly "fix" this defense, but among realistically available trade targets, he might make the single biggest defensive impact on this squad.

And, again, if L.A. can significantly improve its defense, that might be the last box that needs checking to get this group into the championship conversation.

The second arrow pointing at Jones instead of Murphy for L.A. is the projected trade price. William Guillory of The Athletic recently opined that "there will be teams willing to give up at least one first-round pick" for Jones. While Guillory didn't lay out Murphy's trade cost, he did write that it would be "much higher."

With the Lakers lacking both movable draft picks and coveted prospects, they can only afford to spend so much. And that's especially true if they have multiple items on their wish list, like, say multiple stoppers, additional shooters or even a new center.

Given L.A.'s asset collection, Jones would come at a significant—but not impossible—cost. Given the potential prize at stake, though, how would the Lakers say no?

If they really are just one stopper away from making a championship push, then they have to give Jones a full-on pursuit.