3 young stars the Lakers missed out on thanks to Rob Pelinka
By Jason Reed
3. Herbert Jones
The Los Angeles Lakers won a championship because of the Anthony Davis trade so it is impossible to say that the team regrets making that move. However, it was still an exceptional trade for the New Orleans Pelicans, who have spun that deal into so many more assets that have created today’s talented roster.
New Orleans could end up adding even more help in the 2023 NBA Draft if the Lakers continue down the path they are on. There is a legitimate chance that Los Angeles gifts New Orleans Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson. But that is part of the Anthony Davis trade.
The team’s 2021 first-round pick was not part of the Anthony Davis trade. Instead, Rob Pelinka waited to trade that pick as part of the Russell Westbrook trade package. Let’s not forget that Pelinka traded legitimate NBA rotation players AND a first-round pick for Westbrook.
A year later the Lakers weren’t able to trade Westbrook for anyone. Los Angeles has to attach two first-round picks of their own to get Westbrook off the roster. That has to be one of the worst trades in recent league history.
Jones wound up going 13 picks later and has been one of the best players from that entire class. While there is no guarantee that the Lakers would have taken Jones, his profile certainly fit what Los Angeles needed in 2021.
He might struggle to shoot but Jones was an exceptional defensive prospect that would have given the Lakers the wing defense they sorely lacked. Instead, the team saddled itself with Russell Westbrook.