Having already made one in-season trade, the Los Angeles Lakers could be quiet as far as making anymore deals prior to the Feb. 6 deadline.
Per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, the “sense” from rival scouts and front-office executives around the NBA is the Lakers are more likely to either stand pat or make a “half-measure” trade rather than try for an “all-in” move.
Buha did note this approach is dependent which players will be available, the asking price for those players and how the Lakers perform over the next two weeks before the deadline.
If the Lakers do make a move, Buha cited a big man or another ballhandler as the areas they would prioritize.
There are two problems for any team that might be trying to go all-in before the trade deadline. The first one is apron restrictions that have 18 of the NBA’s 30 teams hard-capped at either the first or second apron.
The list of teams that are hard capped:
$178.1M- 1st Apron
– Atlanta (sign-and-trade)
– Brooklyn (sign-and-trade)
– Charlotte (sent out cash)
– Chicago (non- tax ML)
– Dallas (sign/trade |Non-tax ML)
– Golden St. (sign/trade | Non-tax ML)
– Houston (biannual/prior TE)
– LA…— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 8, 2024
The Lakers don’t fall into that category, but they are only $3.5 million under the second apron right now.
Another problem, even if the Lakers were to decide they wanted to push their chips in for this season, is there really don’t appear to be many difference-making players available.
Jimmy Butler is the biggest name who seems likely to be dealt, but there’s been nothing connecting him to the Lakers at this point.
Cam Johnson’s three-point shooting and perimeter defense would be a great fit for any team, but the market for him figures to be very competitive because every contender is looking for a wing right now.
Buha noted there is a “lack of available two-way wings in Los Angeles’ price and asset range,” suggesting there is a high price tag on Johnson. Brian Lewis of the New York Post noted the Brooklyn Nets want either two first-round draft picks or the equivalent value there of in exchange for the 28-year-old.
The Lakers and Nets previously struck a deal on Dec. 29 for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, with Los Angeles sending D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Smith and three future second-round picks to Brooklyn.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James did get the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals two years ago after earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament.
That team was built around what would be considered more marginal upgrades prior to the trade deadline, including acquiring Rui Hachimura, Mo Bamba, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Los Angeles currently sits in sixth place in the Western Conference with a 22-18 record. The team has lost four of its last six games, including a 116-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
