After Olympics, Lakers Need To Make Win-Now Trades

Valentina Martinez | Aug 11, 2024

Apr 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) reacts after a play in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

After returning from the gold medal win at the Olympics, LeBron James and Anthony Davis face a big problem for the upcoming 2024 NBA season. The Los Angeles Lakers have failed to make any trades before the start of the season which could be detrimental to the team's success.

The Lakers have failed to accomplish any sort of free agent signing or trade in the offseason. Los Angeles already has a full roster and the newest additions to the team in rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James aren't enough to change the trajectory of the franchise.

Bronny will likely spend more time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers.

Los Angeles needs to make a move and they need to do it soon. The Athletic's Jovan Buha breaks down why it's imperative the Lakers should execute a trade before the season begins.

"I am firmly in the camp of the Lakers making a trade this offseason and making a trade before the start of the offseason," Buha said. "And I will give you a few reasons why. One, I don't think there is some mega overhaul deal waiting for them at February 2025 trade deadline because is you go back and look at the 2023 trade deadline when the Lakers overhauled their roster with the Russell Westbrook trades. They did the Kendrick (Nunn) non-Rui (Hachimura) trade, they had the Thomas Bryant trade."

If you go back and look at the players that they sent out, Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, Thomas Bryant, all those guys were replaceable and in the case of Russ he had this $48 million expiring contract which allowed the Lakers to take back multiple rotation players."

The Lakers simply cannot bank on the production of superstar James. He is turning 40 years old and will likely slow down in putting up numbers this year.

The trade deadline in February doesn't seem like a feasible option for the Lakers to gain notable players.

"If you look at the guys that the Lakers would have to trade to make any type of measurable improvement to this roster, D'Angelo Russell, a Rui Hachimura, a Jared Vanderbilt, a Gabe Vincent, all those guys project to be top seven rotation players on this team. I just don't see the Lakers being able to execute a 2023 style makeover and overhaul just because they don't have the contracts and they don't have the expendable pieces on the roster."

It would be a mistake if the Lakers waited until the trade deadline to bolster the roster. Los Angeles should take action sooner rather than later.

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