If past reports are to be taken at face value, then it's only a matter of time before the Los Angeles Lakers trade for Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas. It's the worst-kept secret in the NBA that Los Angeles has been interested in acquiring the productive big man since the offseason.
Valanciunas isn't the only name on the Lakers' list of trade targets, however, and a recent report has revealed how expansive the search for the ideal fit is.
Valanciunas would be an excellent acquisition, providing strengths that perfectly acknowledge the Lakers' weaknesses. There are flaws at multiple positions, however, and Los Angeles has thus compiled a list of at least five options to consider on the trade market.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers have been linked to five potential trade options: Bruce Brown Jr., Jerami Grant, Walker Kessler, Kyle Kuzma, Collin Sexton, and Robert Williams III.
"Other names that have come up in talks with team and league personnel over the past few weeks include Utah’s Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton, Toronto’s Bruce Brown Jr., Portland’s Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III and Washington’s Kyle Kuzma."
Every one of those players offers something intriguing, albeit with vastly different skill sets that seemingly indicate how drastic the changes Los Angeles is considering could be
Lakers linked to multiple players, including Jerami Grant, Walker Kessler
Brown is an intriguing option as a defensive specialist who played a key role on a championship team as recently as 2022-23. He's yet to make his 2024-25 season debut, but he's on the road to recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery and is a proven commodity as a two-way player.
With an expiring $23 million figure, Brown is a low-risk, high-reward trade target who could step in and help provide the defensive consistency Los Angeles has been lacking along the perimeter.
Grant has been associated with the Lakers since the summer, with his Klutch Sports affilitation driving many of the conversations. Beyond the agency he signed with, he's the prototypical 3-and-D forward who can defend multiple positions and shoot the lights out.
Thus far in 2024-25, Grant is averaging 16.1 points on 38.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc, appearing in 24 of the Portland Trail Blazers' 26 games.
Walker Kessler may be the most intriguing name on the list. At 23 years of age, he's already an elite shot-blocker and offensive rebounder who throws his 7'0" and 245-pound frame around down low in a way that often overwhelms the opposition.
The cost of acquiring Kessler has been set at multiple first-round draft picks, but he's perhaps the best option of those listed to become a long-term franchise cornerstone.
Lakers could replace D'Angelo Russell with Collin Sexton
Speaking of a long-term outlook, Kessler's Utah Jazz teammate, Collin Sexton, represents an opportunity to secure a replacement for pending free agent D'Angelo Russell. A dynamic scoring threat who boasts a career mark of 38.6 percent from beyond the arc, the 25-year-old is a captivating target.
With career averages of 22.4 points and 4.3 assists per 36 minutes, Sexton has the statistics to support the interest in acquiring him—and a $18.35 million salary that aligns favorably for trade purposes.
Moving out of Utah, Robert Williams III continues the trend of the Lakers weighing their options at center. Injuries have been an issue for Williams, but when he's healthy, he's one of the very best rim protectors the NBA has to offer.
With career averages of 2.9 blocks and 4.5 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes, Williams looks the part of the interior complement Anthony Davis has been asking for at center.
Last on Buha's list is Kuzma, who played for the Lakers between 2017 and 2021. Kuzma has since emerged as one of the more well-rounded offensive players in the NBA, averaging 20.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game in four seasons with the Wizards.
With a full list of options that each provide something different, it's safe to say the Lakers are quite aware of how much help is needed to build the current team into a contender.