The Los Angeles Lakers have a flaw to address and an abundance of intriguing trade options to consider. Los Angeles also has a surplus of injuries at a position that the franchise player has openly asked it to solidify.
Unfortunately, the Lakers have yet to get something done on the trade front—and a new report seems to have revealed why that is.
Anthony Davis has made requests in both 2023 and 2024 for improved depth at center. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has yet to act on those requests, but recent reports have indicated that he's exploring the market early in the 2024-25 season.
According to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times, it was revealed that the reason the Lakers have struggled to execute a trade is how strong of a seller's market it's become.
“According to executives around the NBA, the Lakers have had discussions with a number of teams about big men, though nothing seems close to being more than check-ins. A number of teams have been active in trying to poke loose a serviceable big making it a pretty strong seller’s market in the early stages of this year.”
With this in mind, it's within the realm of possibility that a trade for a quality big would require the Lakers to give up more compensation than they're willing to part with.
Seller's market preventing Lakers from acquiring the big they need
Los Angeles has run the proverbial gauntlet as far as finding ways to overcome early injuries is concerned. Davis is battling plantar fasciitis and an eye injury, Jaxson Hayes sprained his ankle, and Christian Wood has missed each of the Lakers' first 12 games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
Christian Koloko, who signed a two-way contract with the Lakers, is receiving NBA reps earlier than expected to help fill the void.
An already thin rotation of centers has been depleted by injuries that lack a clear timeline for a potential resolution. As such, calls for the Lakers to get the trade done that Davis requested over a year ago are louder than ever.
The question emerging from Woike's report, however, is just how much Pelinka would have to give up to add an ideal fit.
There are a number of intriguing players to consider, including rumored targets such as Brook Lopez and Jonas Valanciunas. Both players would help address Los Angeles' interior weaknesses, primarily with their respective physical strength and ability to defend the low post.
In saying that, whether it's Lopez, Valanciunas, or another player entirely, the cost of acquiring them will remain steep as long as the perception of a seller's market persists.
For Pelinka, the internal debate has thus become a matter of how much he values Davis' request and the limited depth at center. He may attempt to ride out the storm until the asking prices decrease, but pressure exists that could force his hand into giving up draft picks for a veteran in their 30s.
There's no clear path forward for Pelinka and the Lakers to embrace, but it's at least clear now why the trade is taking so long to materialize.