Lakers predicted to acquire Pelicans’ $68 million All-Defensive forward via Dalton Knecht trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Acquiring Luke Kennard before this season’s Feb. 5 trade deadline has proven to be a beneficial move for the Los Angeles Lakers.

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The dangerous 6-foot-5 sharpshooter is connecting on 50.3% of triples with the Lakers thus far (13-game sample size), bolstering the franchise’s previously mediocre long-range shooting.

However, with Kennard being far from an elite defender, it’s reasonable to assume the Lakers will be in the business of searching for a wing who can muck things up on that end of the floor.

Lake Show Life’s Chris Lambert believes the Lakers could acquire a 6-foot-7 New Orleans Pelicans’ forward who earned an All-Defensive first-team nod in 2024 via a Dalton Knecht-centered trade.

“Herbert Jones is quietly becoming the perfect buy-low Lakers trade target,” Lambert wrote Saturday.

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“The Lakers don’t have a ton of long-term assets, and the prospect of getting Jones on a discount should be something they explore. Just two seasons ago, he finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and made the All-Defensive First Team, while also shooting 40% from three.”

“The Lakers have been linked to two-way wings, specifically Jones, for a long time. Now, it appears they may have a clear path to making that addition a reality. With the Pelicans in search of a pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Lakers could potentially explore a deal centered on their projected early-20sfirst-round pick and Dalton Knecht.”

Jones is one of the most versatile defenders in the NBA. Whether using his switch onto guards on the perimeter, exhibiting his impeccable instincts as an off-ball defender to get deflections/steals, or holding his own as a low-post defender, Jones makes it clear he’s a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end.

While the Alabama product has regressed as a three-point shooter, Jones is still a serviceable offensive weapon thanks to his solid slashing ability and finishing around the rim.

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Jones is averaging 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.6 steals with the Pelicans this season, shooting 38.3% from the field and 28.9% from beyond the arc.

Considering Knecht is a declining asset whom the Lakers would love to move on from sooner rather than later, a potential Jones-Knecht swap is far from unrealistic.

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