Surprise, surprise…The Los Angeles Lakers are shopping for an upgrade. While other contenders are standing pat, confident in what they already have, the Lakers are actively searching for help despite sitting at 19–8 and fourth in the Western Conference.
Right now, the Lakers are winning, and they have made some good pick ups in the offseason. Deandre Ayton has been stellar. Even Marcus Smart has been better than expected. But even with that being said, they know that the pieces that make up their current roster just are not enough.
Marc Stein captured that contrast clearly on The Stein Line, writing, “Really only the Lakers loom as a clear-cut playoff team like Minnesota that is known to be shopping for a particular need.”
In a conference loaded with top talent, the Lakers are the rare playoff team openly acknowledging a weakness and trying to address it midseason, which is obviously a good thing.
Why the Lakers are operating differently than other West teams
That weakness is no secret. The Lakers lack a true 3-and-D wing. They desperately need a perimeter defender who can stay on the floor offensively while taking on elite scorers.
Right now, they do not have a player who reliably checks both boxes. And the truth is, against top teams in the West, that gap shows up quickly, especially when the matchup turns physical. If you know anything about playoff basketball, every matchup gets physical.
The Lakers are way more desperate to make a move in the West than the other top dogs. The contrast with Oklahoma City could not be sharper.
The defending champions are off to an absolutely blistering 26–3 start, and their roster looks complete. There is no incentive for the Thunder to disrupt chemistry that is already producing dominant results. Stability is a luxury they have earned.
Other West teams feel similarly comfortable. As Stein noted, “Denver, meanwhile, is said to be pleased with the offensive boost provided by newly acquired Jonas Valančiūnas while remaining bullish on Cam Johnson… The Rockets are starting to regularly see the sort of production they hoped for from Reed Sheppard… San Antonio, too, has every reason to watch its young core continue to blossom rather than chase an older star.”
Each team has a reason to wait. The Lakers do not because their margin is thinner. Stein also cautioned that solutions may be limited, writing that “it's equally unclear… if a player who can help address the Lakers' need for a 3-and-D wing… becomes available between now and the Feb. 5 trade buzzer.”
The market may not cooperate, and the Lakers’ asset pool certainly will not make things easy. The Lakers have zero second-round draft picks between 2026 and 2031. Their first round draft capital is not a pretty sight either.
Still, effort matters. The Lakers are going to need to pick up the phone and hope for a taker, especially with the weaker, rebuilding teams in the league.
An example of a team they could call is the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans’ instability makes them an obvious target, and the Lakers should explore every possible opening.