Ranking Lakers' Top Trade Targets After 2026 NBA Playoff Loss
The Los Angeles Lakers probably won't punctuate their 2025-26 NBA season with a "Mission Accomplished!" celebration.
Despite a strong season and a first-round win over the Houston Rockets, the season ended with a second-round sweep against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
When win-now intentions don't result in the biggest win-now prize, there's bound to be some disappointment.
That said, the Lakers' baseline goal of establishing themselves as viable contenders should've been achieved. And that will hopefully embolden them toward an active offseason in which they pursue (and ideally acquire) the missing pieces of their championship banner-raising puzzle.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
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Antetokounmpo wouldn't be the cleanest need-filler in L.A., and the Lakers probably don't have the perfect trade package to acquire him. That's why he only slots in No. 3 here despite being the best player on this list (and one of the best on the entire planet).
That said, it would have felt irresponsible to not include him in this discussion. Because the Lakers meet the baseline description for an Antetokounmpo suitor: trying to win now, perhaps needing another star to clear the final hurdle and having enough trade chips to catch Milwaukee's attention.
At the very least, the Lakers need to explore this option, and it sounds like they will. As The Athletic's Sam Amick put it, the Lakers are "known to be planning an all-out pursuit of the Bucks' big man in the summer."
If they could make it happen without totally gutting the roster, they should, but it's fair to be skeptical about that possibility. Plus, L.A.'s backcourt might be a little too ball-dominant for Antetokounmpo's liking. Again, it's an imperfect situation, but sometimes it's just smart to bet on a talent collection this rich and hope everything else falls into place.
2. Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
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When the Lakers start building their summer wish list, they figure to be on the hunt for multi-positional defenders. Plus, size and length at the forward spots. And the ability for those big, physical stoppers to add value on the offensive end, too.
There aren't a ton of players who check all of those boxes, and even fewer of them who are realistically available. But Gordon just might be all of the above, as the Swiss Army knife swinman "will no longer be considered off the table as a trade candidate," per Bennett Durando of the Denver Post.
Gordon's availability might be more of the due-diligence variety—i.e., exploring all options but not actually desiring a deal—but Denver is in a tricky spot. This supporting cast showed plenty of weak spots during its first-round flame-out, and filling them won't be easy given this group's lack of flexibility, particularly if the Nuggets plan on bringing Peyton Watson back from restricted free agency.
Gordon is a terrific dot-connector on both ends of the floor. He understands how to play off of cerebral star shot-creators, and he's a viable answer to just about every question posed on the defensive end. The star-role-player is exactly the kind of archetype the Lakers should be targeting as they work to load up this roster around Luka Dončić and, assuming he's re-signed, Austin Reaves.
1. Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
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While the Lakers have squeezed what they can out of the Deandre Ayton-Jaxson Hayes combo at center, this position appears in most dire need of an offseason upgrade.
L.A. would love for Kessler to provide that boost. He's been on the radar forever, and if negotiations get thorny enough with his upcoming restricted free agency, maybe this Lakers' longheld wish is finally granted.
If he stays healthy—shoulder surgery limited him to five appearances this season—he is precisely what this group needs in the middle. His elite paint protection would be invaluable behind L.A.'s offense-leaning backcourt, and his finishing ability would shine alongside this team's star shot-creators.
If he just rebounded, blocked shots and hammered home lob passes, he'd be an impact starter. If he added three-point range to his arsenal (he dabbled a bit this season before the injury), he might make a push for stardom. As costly as he might be to pry away from the Jazz, the potential prize would be worth the effort.
