The Los Angeles Lakers could have plenty of options on the trade market this offseason as far as filling out their roster with the type of players they need to become legitimate championship contenders next season.
Some feel there will be a lot of player movement this summer and that there could even be a frenzy when it comes to trades. There should be a handful of bad or rebuilding teams that will at least be open to moving players who could help Los Angeles.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports wrote on Friday that “there are no untouchables” for the New Orleans Pelicans this summer. That led Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll to suggest that the Lakers make a play for Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III as potential targets.
“The two players everyone will be calling about will be Murphy and Jones,” Rude wrote. Both are 3-and-D wings that are going to be highly coveted. At his exit interview, Rob Pelinka spoke about the need for defensive wings and these two would fit that billing.”
Murphy, in particular, could be something of a dream target for Los Angeles. He averaged 21.2 points a game this season and has a career accuracy of 38.3% from 3-point range. But a big contract extension is about to kick in for the 6-foot-8 forward, and he will thus make $25 million next season. That could make him out of reach for L.A.
As far as the Lakers’ need for at least one viable center, Rude suggested two New Orleans big men: Yves Missi and Kelly Olynyk.
“Missi is a 2024 first round pick who fits the profile of a big the Lakers would want as a lob threat,” Rude wrote. “Last season, he averaged 9.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game and was 14th in the league in dunks in 26.8 minutes per game across 73 contests.
“Considering he’s on an affordable contract akin to Dalton Knecht’s as he was selected just seven picks later, it would be easy for the Lakers to match salaries. But what would New Orleans want in return for one of their better young pieces?
“Olynyk, meanwhile, is a polar opposite to Missi. He’s a stretch big man who has carved out a long career in the league, having played 12 seasons. Last season, he played 44 games between Toronto and New Orleans and averaged 8.7 points on 41.8% shooting from range.
“He is on a much larger contract at $13.4 million but it is an expiring deal. Perhaps he could be a fallback option for the Lakers if they strike out on everything else in the offseason.”
Missi will make just $3.35 million next season, so he should be very affordable as far as matching salaries with outgoing players. But one would have to assume that New Orleans would demand draft compensation, and the Lakers don’t have a lot of that.
After the two teams linked up in the 2019 trade that brought the Lakers superstar big man Anthony Davis, it would be interesting to see if the Pelicans would be willing to help Los Angeles possibly win another ring.