Rivals Believe Lakers Expected Trade Deadline Plans May Have Changed

Matt Levine | Jan 5, 2025

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have started to look much more consistent on the court in recent weeks. The team has seemed to find a sense of who they are and they are trying to fully buy into that fact.

But with only a few weeks until the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers will need to figure it out quickly. This team has already added in wing defender Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton but there is still more work to be done.

Many have pointed to the Lakers' lack of size being a real issue, with the expectation that Los Angeles could look to add a center before the deadline. However, it seems that rival executives are now looking at the Lakers in a different light and the plans may have changed.

NBA insider Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times details that Los Angeles could change their expected plans ahead of the trade deadline.

"Instead of frantically hunting for a third star or pushing chips in on a starting-caliber center, the Lakers, rival executives believe, will move in different ways than it might’ve seemed earlier this season."

Players such as Jonas Valanciunas of the Washington Wizards and Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz have been mentioned for the Lakers but it seems they may go in a different direction. Los Angeles wants to get more dynamic and it could have them targeting another wing player.

"Long linked to a player like Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas, a target for the team this summer in free agency, it’s become clear that the Lakers’ needs to get bigger aren’t as important to them as their desires to get faster, more athletic and more dynamic."

If the Lakers want to compete with the other loaded teams in the NBA, adding more athleticism could be a smart move. While the frontcourt is important, teams tend to play smaller come playoff time and big men sometimes can be run off the court.

Los Angeles has a plan in place and they still have a few tools to use at their disposal. Trading D'Angelo Russell was step one but the Lakers still have work to do.

This team has title ideas for this season and another big move ahead of the deadline could set them up very well.

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