3 Crucial lessons the Lakers front office must learn from recent woes

2. A quick fix can have long-term ramifications

One of the most steady themes from the Rob Pelinka era has been the pursuit of quick resolutions to long-term issues. It's been on display in a number of trade scenarios, with the common result being the abandonment of long-term stability.

As the Los Angeles Lakers navigate familiar terrain, hoping to make as plash in the trade market that can help the team immediately contend, Pelinka must avoid repeating past mistakes.

In 2021, Los Angeles infamously traded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and a first-round draft pick to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook. A year later, the Lakers sent Danny Green and a first-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Dennis Schröder.

Both Schröder and Westbrook were gone by 2023—and the pick sent to Oklahoma City ended up becoming 2023-24 All-Defense honoree Jaden McDaniels.

Those are just two examples of how the Lakers have desperately searched for immediate fixes when patience could prove virtuous. The franchise is beginning to move away from that mentality with moves such as the re-signing of Max Christie and the drafting of Dalton Knecht, but it's too soon to pretend that the past couldn't repeat itself.

The Lakers are right to think that a trade could positively shake things up, but they must be careful not to part with the wrong long-term assets for an exclusively immediate fit.