As the Los Angeles Lakers look to improve their roster at the trade deadline this year, adding scoring depth and defense could be a smart idea, and a potential deal with the Sacramento Kings would snap a 48-year drought. The Lakers and Kings haven’t made a deal with one another since 1977.
If Sacramento decides to sell, the Lakers could potentially target Malik Monk (a reunion) and Keon Ellis, both of whom would be perfect depth pieces for LA. The entire concept is predicated on the Kings being sellers at the deadline, and perhaps they won’t decide to blow things up, but based on their performance this season, it would be smart.
And the Lakers could benefit.
This Lakers-Kings trade could be ideal scenario
Monk salvaged his basketball career with the Lakers a few years ago. Things didn’t pan out with the Charlotte Hornets, but after one year with the Lakers, he earned a nice payday in free agency with the Kings.
However, now, he could be a perfect bench piece to deploy when Luka Doncic and/or Austin Reaves hit the pine, as his three-point shooting and shot creation would be very useful.
Here’s a potential trade that LA could look to pull off:
Lakers receive: Malik Monk, Keon Ellis
Kings receive: Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2026 first-round pick, 2032 second-round pick
If the Kings decide to sell at the deadline, perhaps they’ll want to get more value for both of the players individually, but this could be an intriguing package for them, especially if they like Dalton Knecht as a project piece.
Monk’s value to the Lakers is clear, but Ellis would be just as important a piece to LA’s rotation if they were able to land him in a trade.
He’s a great defender at the guard spot, meaning the Lakers would have both him and Marcus Smart to deploy against the best wings and guards across the league.
Plus, he’s been a reliable three-point threat for almost his entire career at this point, making him a perfect candidate to play off-ball minutes next to Doncic, Reaves, or LeBron James.
This type of trade could seriously elevate the Lakers’ roster moving forward, giving them some elite depth at the guard position behind Doncic and Reaves.
Maybe they would rather target forward help, and maybe the Kings would want more in return for Monk and Ellis, but this type of framework could make sense for both teams involved.