The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be players in the NBA trade market this season.
While the idea of the Lakers striking another shocking trade to land a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo, after picking up Luka Doncic last season, might grow into a popular idea, the Lakers probably aren’t thinking as big.
Right now, it’s apparent that the Lakers’ biggest need is a 3-and-D player. Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans is a prime example, as he’s become the most popular target linked to the Lakers at this point.
However, the Lakers don’t seem close to landing Jones. As the Pelicans aren’t ready to hit the reset button, they are currently planning to keep Jones on board.
Should the Lakers Think Outside of the Box?
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie recently floated an interesting name that might not be as popular: Ochai Agbaji.
The NBA writer believes that “taking a flyer” on Agbaji could be a positive scenario for the Lakers, and it might not come at a high cost.
Agbaji entered the NBA in 2022. Coming out of Kansas, he landed on the Cleveland Cavaliers as the 14th overall pick. One month before his rookie season started, Agbaji was traded to the Utah Jazz.
He ended up playing 59 games as a rookie. After seeing the court for 51 games during his second season, Agbaji was traded to the Toronto Raptors midway through the 2023-2024 season.
Last year was his first full season with the Raptors. He appeared in 64 games, starting in 45 of those matchups. Seeing the court for 27.2 minutes per game, he shot 49 percent from the field and drained 39 percent from three. Agbaji posted 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
With the Raptors changing things up, Agbaji hasn’t had as many opportunities this year. In the 26 games he’s played, the young veteran has averaged 4.7 points and 2.4 rebounds, while shooting 42 percent from the field. He is seeing the court for just 17 minutes per game.
Agbaji is certainly more of a gamble in the sense that the Lakers are picking up a player on a young player, who is on a down year, and lacks playoff experience. After shooting 39 percent from deep last season, he has made just 17 percent of his shots from three, taking only 1.5 attempts per game.
As far as playoff appearances go, Agbaji has yet to play in the postseason. He might be a player the Lakers could target as a secondary option, but LA will likely keep its eyes on more prominent targets for now.