The Los Angeles Lakers are headed toward the Play-In Tournament. There is still hope of a second straight improbable playoff run, but it won’t be easy. The Lakers will likely have to face the top seed in the first round after winning two straight to make it there. LeBron James and company are not focusing on it, but the odds are stacked against LA.
The Lakers want to be title contenders, and the franchise may get creative this summer with three first-round draft picks to trade. It may mean making some unpopular moves, but Rob Pelinka and the front office must be bold to significantly improve.
The Lakers had the pieces at some point but failed to keep them. They are still haunted by the Russell Westbrook trade, but it is far from the only mistake the franchise has made in recent years. If the Lakers had these former players, they would be in title contention this season.
6. Josh Hart
The Lakers acquired Hart in a draft night trade in 2017. The 6’4 wing helped Villanova win an NCAA championship and was a blossoming role player before being traded to New Orleans as part of the package for Anthony Davis. The 29-year-old has bounced around the league a bit but is proving to be crucial to the Knicks' success.
Hart is averaging 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 0.9 steals in 32.4 minutes per game. His percentages leave plenty to be desired, but the Lakers would certainly benefit from his rebounding, defense, and playmaking if he was in LA. The franchise is 19th in rebounding and 15th in defensive rating. Hart would ensure the Lakers get those extra possessions and is comfortable operating as a secondary creator.
The Los Angeles Lakers need a wing upgrade. Josh Hart’s shooting keeps him from being the perfect fit, but the franchise would be in title contention if he was on their roster. The 6’4 wing is not the only former Laker that the franchise dreams of having back.
5. Brook Lopez
Lopez’s one season with the Lakers was a disaster. He was part of the D’Angelo Russell trade in 2017, but the 7’1 big man played the fewest minutes of his career as LA finished 12 games under .500 and missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season. The Lakers had a shot to re-sign him, but he instead went to the Bucks on a one-year $3.3 million contract.
Magic Johnson and the Lakers front office quickly regretted the decision. Lopez has spent the last six seasons in Milwaukee playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo where he has transformed from star into crucial role player. The 35-year-old was first-team All-Defense and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023.
Los Angeles is always searching for a big man to play next to Anthony Davis. They had the perfect answer, but the Lakers did not play him enough and let him walk in free agency.
In Milwaukee, Brook Lopez has developed a consistent 3-point shot and improved his block rate. He is a crucial piece for the Bucks and helped them win a championship in 2021. Every team wants a rim-protecting stretch five. Lopez might be doing that for the Los Angeles Lakers if their front office prioritized re-signing him in the summer of 2018, but it just was not meant to be.
4. Kyle Kuzma
The Lakers acquired Kuzma in a 2017 draft night trade with the Nets, and the 6’9 forward played a key role in their 2020 title run inside the bubble. He mostly was a scorer off the bench, but the Lakers traded him as part of the package to land Russell Westbrook in 2021.
Kuzma has blossomed on the Wizards. Fans will immediately point to his scoring and playmaking improvements, but there is more to it. The 28-year-old has shot over 40 percent on his corner 3-pointers for two straight years. The Mavericks wanted to trade for him before the deadline (subscription required), but Kuzma declined. He could help a contender if he was willing to scale back his role.
In Los Angeles, he would be a secondary or tertiary creator who spaces the floor and plays stout defense. Kuzma helped the Lakers win a championship in a similar role. He would likely get more shots and playmaking opportunities now. Kuzma is in his prime, and LeBron James is slowly fading.
Kyle Kuzma would be an upgrade over Taurean Prince, Rui Hachimura, Cam Reddish, and Jarred Vanderbilt for the Lakers. Just getting a bit more production from that group would be massive, but the failed Russell Westbrook trade came back to bite LA again.
3. Alex Caruso
In one of the Lakers' biggest mistakes since winning the title in 2020, they chose Talen Horton Tucker over Caruso in free agency in 2021. The 6’5 guard took a four-year $37 million contract from the Bulls that has turned into an absolute steal. He made first-team All-Defense in 2023 and is the ideal role player for any contender.
Caruso is a career 37.2 percent 3-point shooter capable of making plays and playing in any lineup. Need him to defend on the ball or against an elite scorer? He is up to the challenge. The 30-year-old has continued to improve in Chicago, even as the Bulls have struggled to contend.
LeBron James reportedly wanted the Lakers to keep Caruso, and the duo had outstanding chemistry. No two-man combination had a better net rating in 2020 than James and Caruso. The 6’5 guard can space the floor and take some playmaking pressure off the NBA’s all-time scoring leader while playing outstanding defense.
The Los Angeles Lakers do not need a third star. They proved in last season’s run to the conference finals it takes the right group of role players around James and Anthony Davis. Alex Caruso certainly fits that bill and would have made the franchise a title contender this season.
2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
KCP is the perfect role player to put around LeBron James or any superstar. The 6’5 wing can guard multiple positions and is happy spacing the floor and knocking down open shots. He can play 30-plus minutes every night and defend at a high level. Caldwell-Pope has transformed into an elite shooter, who has made over 40 percent from 3-point range over the last five seasons combined.
The Lakers dumped KCP and Kyle Kuzma in the trade that brought Russell Westbrook to LA. They thought getting a third star would boost their title odds, but it had the opposite impact. The franchise missed Kuzma’s size and needed another 3-and-D wing like KCP as they missed the playoffs entirely in 2022.
The Lakers only made another deep postseason run after they traded Westbrook and got multiple role players in return. They would have been significantly better off if they kept Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kuzma, but it was not meant to be.
KCP was a starter and key role player in the Nuggets' 2023 championship run. Denver is back in contention behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, but Caldwell-Pope is a necessary 3-and-D wing that they cannot afford to lose. KCP can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Lakers should try to bring him back to Hollywood.
1. Brandon Ingram
Behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are relying heavily on players who excel on one end of the floor or the other. D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves are their next-best scorers, but both have defensive issues. Others play key defensive roles but have offensive woes. Finding a third star could do wonders for the Lakers and their identity. It would allow them to put two stout defenders on the floor next to their stars and chase a ring.
Ingram has blossomed since joining the Pelicans in the Anthony Davis trade. The 26-year-old is just entering his prime and has helped New Orleans to fifth in the Western Conference. He is averaging 20.9 points, 5.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.8 steals in 33.0 minutes per game. Ingram has become a plus-shooter and his efficiency continues to rise as the Pelicans have improved the talent around him. He is currently out with a knee injury, but should be back for the playoffs.
They had to give up Ingram to get Anthony Davis, but his max extension only has one year left after this season. A monster trade offer may have brought him back to Los Angeles. The Lakers would love to have him. They could use a 6’9 forward capable of dropping 20 points and dishing out five dimes every night. It certainly was not a mistake getting AD, but it is fair to wonder what-if it never happened.
The Los Angeles Lakers desperately need to improve their roster if they plan on getting back into title contention next season. Does the front office bring back a former Laker to help them? Stay tuned to find out.