After yet another subpar first half of the season, rumors have been circulating regarding the Los Angeles Lakers' desire to upgrade their roster. With the team currently not even slotting into the postseason picture, it would make sense for Rob Pelinka and his front office companions to canvas the league in search of improvement.
With LeBron James leaving the door open for a potential departure following the current campaign, it would be shocking if the organization does not indeed pull the trigger on some type of roster rearrangement. In order to do so, they will need to part with at least one/some of their current assets, and they do have some pieces that could produce a palatable trade package.
If they are going to part with any of their present pieces, it will be important for them to identify which ones are more valued within the franchise. With that in mind, here are the Los Angeles Lakers' top 15 trade assets as we approach the season of change.
Lakers' trade assets, 15-11:
15: Clippers 2024 2nd Round Pick
As part of the four-team trade with the Clippers, Magic, and Nuggets which involved Patrick Beverley and Mo Bamba prior to last season's deadline, the Lakers picked up two 2nd rounders from their crosstown rival Clippers. Seeing that the Clippers have been rolling with James Harden (22-12 record since his arrival), their selections in the next two drafts (assuming Harden re-signs, which is a very bold assumption these days) should fall somewhere towards the tail end of the rotation.
14: Clippers 2025 2nd Round Pick
Referencing back to the James Harden acquisition, the team struggled in the first few games following his addition. However, we have seen the positive results that have come with giving them some time to adjust. They could very well make a run at a title this season, but giving them a full season to build chemistry could translate to them blossoming into a true powerhouse in the 2024-2025 season. If that were the case, then their selection in next year's draft could fall even lower than their spot in the 2024 draft.
13: 2025 2nd Round Pick
It seems as though LeBron will be back for at least another NBA season, being that he is currently still playing at a darn-near MVP level. If he returns to Los Angeles, which many assume he will, they should yet again be in a state of title pursuit which should not bode well for their pick placement in the draft. Regardless, we have seen the magic that the scouting department has worked in the latter round of the draft.
12: 2027 2nd Round Pick
Things get much less clear on the direction of this franchise when you start to think of the post-LeBron era. LBJ will almost undoubtedly be retired at this point, leaving Anthony Davis as the sole bonafide superstar to build off of. AD will be 34 years old at the time of the 2027 NBA draft, meaning the team should still be looking to contend in the midst of his prime. However, that will depend largely on what the front office elects to do with this roster prior to the current season's deadline.
11: 2030 2nd Round Pick
Branching off of the previous notes, Davis will be 37 years old at the time of the 2030 NBA draft. With that in mind, there is a stronger chance that the Lakers will grow a bit weaker in the time spanning from the 2027 draft to the 2030 draft. A weaker team means a higher draft pick, which opposing front offices relish.
Lakers' trade assets, 10-6:
10: 2029 1st Round Pick
Sticking to the Anthony Davis age theme, the cornerstone will be 36 years young at the time that the NBA announces this particular selection. Giving up a 1st round pick is never an easy agreement for a general manager to sign off on, but Pelinka will almost certainly have to part with at least one 1st in the coming weeks if it means getting the 2023-2024 Lakers back on the tracks to a title.
The younger that Davis is, the better the Lakers should hypothetically be. With that in mind, opposing GMs should be more attracted to the team's 1st round pick in the ensuing season in comparison to the 2029 1st.
9: 2030 1st Round Pick
Again, Davis will be a year older at the time of this selection. There is no crystal ball to tell us how things will pan out prior to that announcement, but the assumption here is that the 2028-2029 Lakers squad would be better than the 2029-2030 Lakers squad when it comes to wins and losses.
8: Jalen Hood-Schifino
JHS has not seen the floor much so far in 2023-2024, but that should be of no surprise to anyone. The Lakers are looking to win a championship this season, meaning they do not have time to cope with any type of rookie learning curve for the 17th pick in the 2023 draft.
Nonetheless, the 6'5" guard has the physical tools to overpower his defenders, while he also has the defensive chops and court intelligence to develop into a point-of-attack defender who doubles as a terrific table setter. The rookie point guard was highly impressive in his recent G League debut, and if he can progressively improve his jump shot over time he could really turn into something special.
7: D'Angelo Russell
Reports that Russell has "no value around the NBA" recently surfaced in the heat of ongoing speculation connecting D'Lo to the trade block. While those rumors may ring true, his 39-point eruption in the game against Utah was yet another reminder of Russell's star potential. Remember when he hung 35 on the Detroit Pistons back in late November? Say what you want about D'Angelo, but he is still one of the more underrated secondary playmakers in the game today.
While some teams are apparently turned off by his contract, the soon to be 28-year-old guard will hit unrestricted free agency after next season. Plus, the $18.7 million that he is due next season is not actually as bad as it seems when you consider his per-game averages thus far in 2023-2024: 29.1 MPG, 15.4 PPG, 6.1 APG (to just 1.9 TOPG), 2.8 RPG, 0.8 SPG and 0.5 BPG on shooting splits of 47.1 FG%/39.4 3%/76.0 FT%.
6: Taurean Prince
Prince has been the team's top offseason addition thus far, and the journeyman may have found himself a home in Los Angeles. However, with the NBA being a business no one outside of LeBron and AD is safe.
The combo forward has done exactly what this team needs him to do, and there have surely been opposing teams in need of some 3&D juice (Dallas, Milwaukee, etc) that have taken notice. His $4.5 million expiring contract could also be necessary in order to facilitate a larger, more blockbuster level exchange.
Lakers' trade assets, 5-1:
5: 2026 1st Round Pick
Utilizing the same rhetoric tied to the age of the team's present superstars, we are assuming that LBJ is no longer a Laker following the 2025-2026 NBA season. With that in mind, the near future of this franchise is very foggy. Anthony Davis will still be in his prime (33) at the time of the 2026 NBA draft.
However, it is unclear who will be around to support Davis in LeBron's absence, and it is also unclear if (fingers crossed) Davis will be able to remain healthy enough on a consistent enough basis to sustain his untouchable status behind closed doors.
4: 2028 1st Round Pick
With this ranking, we are once again bouncing back to the our common reasoning pertaining to ages and uncertainties. LeBron will surely be relaxing on a beach enjoying his retirement by this time, and Davis will be two years older at the time of this pick compared to the 2026 pick.
Again, there is no guarantee that the Lakers are a worse team at this point as opposed to the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season, but things are much less vivid in terms of the vision stretching through this time.
It is important to note that the Lakers can only trade a first-round pick swap in both 2026 and 2028. But if the opossing team expects LA to be bad in the future then it will still be an extremely valuable pick.
3: Max Christie
In a much more subtle volume than the previously mentioned D'Angelo Russell reports, reports have surfaced recently in regards to strong interest in Lakers' sophomore wing Max Christie. While this may not be a headline-worthy development, it should not be shocking to see Christie's name floated in trade chatter considering he is about to hit restricted free agency.
The soon-to-be 21-year-old stands roughly 6'6" in stature and has bulked up his frame to roughly 190-195 pounds. His 6'9" wingspan aids in his relentless efforts as a defensive disruptor, and he plays with a highly mature style of wisdom on both ends of the court. It took him a while to get going, but he has been impressive since securing a stable spot in the rotation.
2: Rui Hachimura
Hachimura has extended his impressive 2023 postseason play into the 2023-2024 regular season. His numbers may not have jumped very much, but he has been a quality option at either forward spot all year. The soon-to-be 26-year-old has a contract ($15.7 million) which could be very useful in the front office's pursuit of assistance for it's superstars.
1: Austin Reaves
Nobody in their right mind wants the Lakers to trade Reaves, but at the end of the day, the front office has to do what the front office has to do. If that means coughing up their golden boy for a potential needle-mover like Dejounte Murray then do not be stunned if AR is no longer a member of the purple and gold come mid-February.