The Los Angeles Lakers might not be done with big moves quite yet

Agree or not on fit and functionality, the Russell Westbrook trade put the Los Angeles Lakers back in the championship conversation (if they ever left).

But at the present time, the historic franchise counts only four players under contract in Russ, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol (Alfonzo McKinnie will definitely be waived to spare as much as possible). Despite only having four players, and already being way beyond the salary cap, we can still say the following.

The Los Angeles Lakers might not be done with big moves.

Well, general manager Rob Pelinka happens to still have a big weapon in his pocket to add players on above-mid-level-and-minimum contracts. The much-discussed Dennis Schröder sign-and-trade.

With the acquisition of Westbrook, the German point guard is clearly on his way out of Los Angeles, but owning his bird rights, the Lakers are able to sign him at whatever number they want regardless of their salary cap limitations.

So far so good.

Now we approach the tricky part. During the season, Schröder turned down the full four-year $84 million extension the organization offered him at the time, feeling to be worth and able to earn more in free agency.

LA has no need for him anymore, but the 27-year-old could still serve a final role for the 17-time NBA champions, getting sign-and-traded to allow them to add significant players, over the cap, who can fit around the big three.

Jason Reed made a very good and realistic point about how this scenario would become ridiculously expensive for the Lakers to get a player of Buddy Hield’s caliber (provided the Sacramento Kings were ever interested in getting Schröder, which they are not), therefore it is very unlikely to happen.

However, there are two things to take into consideration.

First, Jeanie Buss is as committed as any owner in the NBA to win, so do not be surprised if she was willing to pay a hefty price to do it.

Secondarily, as we know things did not go the way Dennis expected. His season in purple and gold turned out to be occasionally good but mostly disappointing. At this stage, he has to forget about that $20-million-per-year contract he was dreaming about.

Once believed to be in high demands in free agency, his market is shrinking by the hour. The availability of so many good point guards in this relatively weak market has made him somewhat of an afterthought, with teams in biggest need, previously mentioned as possible destinations for Dennis the Menace, already linked to other floor generals.

We are talking about Kyle Lowry, Lonzo Ball, Mike Conley, Chris Paul (possibly), Collin Sexton (via trade). Even Derrick Rose has entered the conversation as a possible high-tier target for the Chicago Bulls if they miss out on Lonzo.

Schröder might have lost his demanding power and not be able to command his conditions in contract negotiations, ending up forced to settle for lower offers.

Could he find himself so desperate that, in order to join a team willing to offer him a good contract (below the $84 million the Lakers offered him anyway) but without the necessary cap space, he would retreat to the Lakers sign-and-trading him?

In this scenario, LA would not have to pay a so steep price in taxes and get some combination of good players otherwise impossible to acquire, possibly with short time left on their contracts to not imply years of luxury charges.

There is one need Pelinka and the Lakers need to address, and it is no secret throughout the entire league and the whole world of basketball. Shooting, shooting and shooting.

Good shooters can be found of any kind at any price nowadays, as they are the most popular commodity in present-day NBA. So that is what the organization should aim at in the possible trade, sneaking a pair of good level 3-and-D players to start replenishing the depleted roster.

This may normally be not classified as a ‘big move’, but after acquiring a former MVP in his prime to pair him with the talent and contracts of two other of the biggest NBA stars, it definitely would appear like a major asset acquisition in the roster-building process.