The Los Angeles Lakers will explore the trade market, but the type of player they’re looking for is more important than anything else.
As the Lakers have found out the hard way, trading for fit is more important than landing a star.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, this isn’t about a star chase and more so about roster fit.
“However, no matter how mad the second-year coach wants to get at this group, the apparent reality is that the Lakers are in desperate need of young, athletic, rangy wing defenders (preferably who can shoot),” Amick wrote.
The Lakers are veteran and offense-first players heavy, but when games slow down, especially against top competition, the lack of defense has been a major issue.
We can even call out Luka Doncic and LeBron James, who have provided close to nothing on that side of the court.
They need players who can guard multiple positions and hit open threes in a playoff series.
This also shows why some bigger names may not make sense for Los Angeles. Length, athleticism, and defensive versatility matter just as much as adding another player who can score 30 on any given night. The Lakers have enough of those players.
As the front office weighs its options, there are a good number of players who make sense.
Any move they make will likely be to win now, so expect a decent player.
More Lakers news:
- Ex-Lakers center Anthony Davis gets questionable update on trade rumors, as lack of teams are showing interest
- Warriors and Lakers floated in trade proposal that would send LeBron James to Golden State to pair with Stephen Curry
- Former Lakers star Anthony Davis and agent Rich Paul looking for clarity from Mavericks before trade deadline
- NBA insider confirms Lakers continue to monitor Giannis Antetokounmpo, looking to pair star with Luka Doncic
- Lakers' LeBron James turns back the clock with vicious dunk
- Lakers face Luka Doncic-LeBron James crossroads after JJ Redick's latest on-court experiment