The Los Angeles Lakers have not looked anything like a title contender since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament. After such a rough stretch (that may be continuing) it seems like a guarantee that the Lakers will make some kind of swing at the 2024 trade deadline.
Los Angeles has assets to trade and contracts to make deals work. Rob Pelinka can decide to make one big trade or can make a string of smaller trades. Either way, the Lake Show has options to explore at the deadline this season.
But when it ultimately comes down to it, there is one potential trade target at every single position that would be better than the rest. Let's dive into the best of the best.
Lakers' top PG trade target: Malcolm Brogdon
It is pretty much a guarantee that Malcolm Brogdon will be traded by the Portland Trail Blazers this season. Brogdon was traded to Portland as part of the fallout of the Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday trades and was never viewed as a long-term fit.
Brogdon is on an expiring deal and has some past health concerns which will hurt his price on the trade market. This is beneficial for the Lakers, as they could theoretically acquire Brogdon at a cheaper cost than his talent may dictate.
While health concerns are legitimate, Brogdon has been mostly healthy this season and would be a wonderful addition to this rotation. As talented as he is, D'Angelo Russell's play style simply does not translate to winning basketball while Brogdon's does. He would undoubtedly raise the ceiling of the Los Angeles Lakers this season.