Practically every Los Angeles Lakers fan has been begging Rob Pelinka to find a way to acquire an upgrade before the trade deadline. The trade for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton won't cut it.
On Tuesday, a new name hit the trade market when ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Kings are "open" to dealing guard De'Aaron Fox before the deadline. Fox was immediately connected to Los Angeles because he's represented by Rich Paul, but trading for him would be difficult for the Lakers, especially since teams like the Spurs could easily outbid LA.
It doesn't seem like the Lakers are the team Fox wants to play for, anyway. Charania said that Los Angeles isn't the guard's preferred destination, which isn't all that surprising.
Shams says De'Aaron Fox does NOT wanna go to the Lakers
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) January 28, 2025
pic.twitter.com/zngjZzBiaS
De'Aaron Fox reportedly doesn't want to be traded to the Lakers
Of course, things could change in the coming days. The Kings may demand rookie Stephon Castle in a trade with the Spurs, which could be something San Antonio isn't willing to do. That could pave the way for a team like the Lakers to join the conversation, but that won't change the fact that LA's offer would be underwhelming. The Klutch connection is enough to keep the hope alive, even if it's a small glimmer.
Pelinka's priority should be acquiring a center, especially after the recent update on Anthony Davis's injury. Davis himself has said he'd like LA to trade for a center so he can spend more time at power forward. Jonas Valanciunas, Nikola Vucevic, and Jakob Poeltl have all been mentioned as players who could be on the move. However, NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Lakers aren't expected to be interested in the first two. He also said there hasn't been traction on a Valanciunas deal.
Hopefully, next week won't pass without the Lakers getting involved in the deadline chaos. As thrilling as it would be to see Fox land in LA as added star power beside LeBron James and AD, the chances of that happening are slim. It's more realistic to expect Pelinka to boost the frontcourt, even though that's not guaranteed.
It's best to prepare for Fox to wind up in San Antonio, where he and Victor Wembanyama will find a way to torment Lakers fans for years to come. How fun!