{"id":543029,"date":"2026-01-17T16:29:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T16:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/543029\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T16:29:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T16:29:32","slug":"7-best-targets-for-the-lakers-before-february-trade-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/543029\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Best Targets For The Lakers Before February Trade Deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> are currently sitting at 24-15, the 5th seed in the West, and the clock is already ticking with the trade deadline set for February 5.<\/p>\n

This is the part of the season where you can feel what the roster is missing in the biggest moments. The Lakers can score, but when the game slows down and the matchups get nasty, they still need that real two-way wing who can guard up a position, chase shooters, and still punish teams for helping off him.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why the \u201c3-and-D\u201d hunt keeps coming up in basically every rumor cycle around the Lakers. Herb Jones has been one of the most commonly linked names<\/a> in league chatter, and he\u2019s the exact type of defender that changes your whole identity.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Jonathan Kuminga has popped up in the deadline conversation<\/a> too, especially now that his situation has shifted and teams like the Lakers have been mentioned as potential suitors. And Andrew Wiggins is another name that keeps floating as a \u201cplug-and-play wing\u201d option<\/a> if the right framework exists.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll see which players actually make the most sense as deadline targets for the Lakers, and which fits are real instead of just loud internet smoke.<\/p>\n

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1. Andrew Wiggins
\n\"MiamiMandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The Lakers\u2019 biggest headache is still the same, wing defense that doesn\u2019t kill the spacing. That\u2019s why Andrew Wiggins<\/a> keeps feeling like the \u201cadult in the room\u201d target. He\u2019s on the Heat<\/a>, who are the 8 seed in the East at 21-20, and his price might get lower at the deadline.<\/p>\n

On the court, Wiggins is giving you exactly what a win-now team wants from a two-way forward: 15.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, with 46.8% from the field and a legit 40.2% from three. He\u2019s also at 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks, which matters because it shows he\u2019s not just \u201cpresent\u201d defensively, he\u2019s making plays.<\/p>\n

The Heat context is simple: they\u2019re in that messy middle where every season turns into \u201ccan we punch up in the playoffs?\u201d Wiggins helps them stay competitive now, but that same contract size also makes him the type of name that shows up in deadline math when teams start reshuffling around their core. He\u2019s valuable, but he\u2019s also movable.<\/p>\n

For the Lakers, the fit is painfully obvious. You need a wing who can take the nastiest matchup<\/a> so your stars don\u2019t waste energy chasing, and you need someone defenses actually respect from deep. Wiggins checks both boxes right now, and he does it without demanding the ball. He can live off catch-and-shoots, he can attack a closeout with two dribbles, and he can survive when possessions turn into isolation junk late.<\/p>\n

The underrated part is lineup flexibility. Wiggins lets you play bigger without turning into a brick-laying lineup, because 40.2% from three changes the geometry immediately. The Lakers also get another athlete who can finish in transition, which matters because they\u2019ve had too many lineups where only one or two guys can actually put pressure on the rim.<\/p>\n

The downside is the price tag. $28.2 million means this is not a \u201ccute\u201d deal, it\u2019s a real swing, real matching salary, real assets. But if the Lakers are serious about surviving the West, the cleanest upgrade is still size plus two-way competence on the wing. Wiggins is one of the few names here that feels like an immediate playoff translation, not a regular-season mirage.<\/p>\n

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2. Keon Ellis
\n\"NovMandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Not every deadline target has to be a headline; sometimes you just need a rotation piece that stops the bleeding. That\u2019s where Keon Ellis<\/a> comes in. He\u2019s on the Kings, who are the 14th seed in the West at 10-34.<\/p>\n

Keon Ellis is the sneaky \u201ccheap fix\u201d that actually makes sense if the Lakers want perimeter defense without paying the premium wing tax. His scoring is light, 5.3 points per game, and he\u2019s at 1.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists, but the real selling points are disruption and survival skills: 1.1 steals, 0.5 blocks, and a willingness to pick up and annoy people. Shooting-wise, he\u2019s at 38.4% from the field and 35.7% from three.<\/p>\n

The Kings<\/a> context is why this is even a conversation. When a team is buried in the standings, role players on small salaries become exactly the kind of pieces contenders try to pry loose. Ellis also fits the profile of a guy teams ask about because he\u2019s cheap, defends, and you can talk yourself into the shot coming around. There\u2019s been recent reporting that multiple teams have interest in him, including the Lakers.<\/p>\n

For the Lakers, Ellis would have one clear job: guard the ball, chase shooters, blow up actions early so the whole defense doesn\u2019t collapse into rotation chaos. The Lakers have had too many games where the point of attack is a free lane, then everything becomes help, scramble, open corner three. A pest guard changes that math even if he only plays 16 to 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

Offensively, he\u2019s not here to create. He\u2019s here to keep the ball moving and take open threes without hesitation. Even at 35.7%, the volume plus willingness matters, because the worst thing in a star-led offense is a role guy who catches and freezes. If he\u2019s open, shoot. If he\u2019s chased, swing. If the defense forgets him, cut. That\u2019s the Lakers dream job description.<\/p>\n

The best part is the salary slot. At $2.3 million, the Lakers can chase Ellis<\/a> without nuking the rest of their deadline flexibility. The risk is also clear: if the shot stays shaky and teams ignore him, his offense can turn into a spacing problem. But for this cost, you\u2019re really buying defense and effort, and honestly, that\u2019s where the Lakers have needed the most dependable help.<\/p>\n

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3. Nic Claxton
\n\"NovMandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

If the Lakers want a move that changes the way the game feels, not just the way it looks on paper, a real rim-protecting, switch-capable big is the swing. That\u2019s Nic Claxton.<\/a><\/p>\n

Claxton is having a seriously interesting season because he\u2019s not just finishing lobs, he\u2019s playmaking too. He\u2019s averaging 12.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, with 58.1% from the field and 1.4 blocks. He\u2019s also at 65.0% from the line, which matters late because teams will test that. The assist jump is the loud part, that\u2019s \u201cpoint-center\u201d energy.<\/p>\n

The Nets<\/a> make the availability angle feel real, although recent reporting stated they are keen on keeping him for the future<\/a>. A team sitting near the bottom has to decide what direction it\u2019s going, and Claxton\u2019s contract plus his value around the league makes him the type of piece that can bring back actual assets if the Nets pivot harder into a reset.<\/p>\n

For the Lakers, the fit is basically a basketball cheat code next to high-usage creators. Put Claxton in pick-and-roll and he lives at the rim. Defenses load up on the stars, and suddenly Claxton is catching at the nail, taking one dribble, and making a read, which is where the assists become a weapon. If he\u2019s really processing like that, teams can\u2019t just blitz and recover, because you\u2019re giving the center a 4-on-3.<\/p>\n

Defensively, he gives the Lakers a spine. The Lakers have had stretches where the paint feels soft or where the big rotation forces weird compromises. Claxton helps you keep the rim protected without playing terrified of every switch, because he\u2019s mobile enough that teams can\u2019t just hunt him every possession. He\u2019s not a shooter, so you still need smart spacing around him, but his rim pressure is spacing in its own way because it collapses defenses.<\/p>\n

The obvious drawback is cost. $25.4 million means salary matching, and it means the Nets would want something real back. But if the Lakers want a target who can change their defensive ceiling and make their offense more punishing against traps, Claxton is one of the few names here that genuinely shifts a playoff series instead of just adding another jersey to the bench.<\/p>\n

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4. Herb Jones
\n\"DecDec 11, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) reacts to making a basket against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The Lakers keep searching for a wing who turns tough matchups into something manageable, and the best version of that idea is a true defensive menace who can still function offensively. That\u2019s Herb Jones<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Jones is not having a pretty shooting season, but the defensive value is still elite-level. He\u2019s averaging 9.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, with 1.7 steals. The splits are rough: 39.4% from the field and 33.3% from three, but he\u2019s at 81.3% from the line, which usually hints there\u2019s touch and the jumper can stabilize.<\/p>\n

The Pelicans<\/a> are the 14th seed in the West at 10-34, and that is the only reason you even entertain this. When a team is stuck at the bottom, everything gets questioned. But Jones is also the exact type of player teams hate giving up, because you don\u2019t replace a stopper wing easily. That\u2019s why, if the Lakers want him, the offer probably has to hurt.<\/a><\/p>\n

Fit-wise, it\u2019s disgusting in the best way. Jones gives you a perimeter defender who can chase actions, blow up handoffs, and basically make stars work for oxygen. In the playoffs, that\u2019s not a luxury, that\u2019s a necessity.<\/p>\n

The Lakers have had too many possessions where they\u2019re forced to help early, then the whole defense bends, then the corner three is wide open. A true stopper reduces the need for early help, and it keeps the structure intact.<\/p>\n

Offensively, the Lakers wouldn\u2019t be asking him to be a scorer. They\u2019d be asking him to be playable. Hit enough open threes to punish disrespect, cut hard when the defense stares at the stars, and keep the ball moving. Even at 33.3%, he\u2019s making 1.4 threes per game, so the threat exists if the confidence stays up.<\/p>\n

The contract is a huge plus. $13.9 million is a clean number for deadline matching compared to the bigger names. The risk is the jumper staying shaky and becoming a spacing problem in a playoff series. But my opinion is simple: the Lakers need defense that travels, and Jones is one of the few wings in the league who can tilt an entire series with defense alone. If the Lakers can get him, that\u2019s the type of move that screams \u201cwe\u2019re built for April.\u201d<\/p>\n

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5. Jonathan Kuminga
\n\"NovNov 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) looks on against the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Some targets are about raising your floor, others are about swinging for a ceiling you can\u2019t reach with safe moves. Jonathan Kuminga<\/a> is the ceiling swing.<\/p>\n

The Warriors<\/a> are the 8th seed in the West at 23-19. ESPN reported he demanded a trade<\/a>, and the reporting around his situation has made it clear there\u2019s real tension around his role. Jake Fischer even went as far as saying the Lakers have been monitoring his availability since the offseason<\/a>, so you know there\u2019s real interest.<\/p>\n

Kuminga\u2019s season line shows both the talent and the volatility: 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 18 games, with 43.1% from the field and 32.0% from three. He\u2019s not a consistent shooter, and he\u2019s not a polished decision-maker yet, but the athletic pop is still ridiculous for a forward.<\/p>\n

For the Lakers, the fit starts with one side: rim pressure. Too often the Lakers\u2019 wing minutes turn into standing, watching, and hoping the stars bail them out. Kuminga can catch the ball with a tilted defense and go straight into a downhill attack. He can punish a closeout, he can run the floor, and he can generate free throws and paint touches without needing a perfectly drawn play. That matters when playoff possessions get ugly.<\/p>\n

Defensively, he\u2019s still more \u201ctools\u201d than \u201cresults,\u201d but the tools are real. If the Lakers can put him in a clearer role, defend hard, rebound, run, and attack, he can become a two-way piece that changes the physical profile of the roster. You don\u2019t need him to be Herb Jones tomorrow. You need him to compete, use his size, and keep improving.<\/p>\n

The risk is obvious: if the jumper doesn\u2019t come around and the defense isn\u2019t locked in, coaches will shorten the rotation and he\u2019s the first guy to lose minutes. There\u2019s also the contract situation: at $22.5 million this year and only a Team Option for the next one, his stint could become very short for what the Lakers would have to give up to get him.<\/p>\n

And the rumor context is what makes it realistic, because \u201ctrade request plus role conflict\u201d is how talent actually moves at the deadline.<\/p>\n

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6. Keldon Johnson
\n\"DecDec 31, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) celebrates in the second half against the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a certain kind of wing who makes games feel more physical the second he checks in, and the Lakers could use more of that. That\u2019s Keldon Johnson<\/a>. He\u2019s on the Spurs, who are the 2 seed in the West at 28-13, and his 2025-26 salary is $17.5 million.<\/p>\n

Keldon is producing like the exact role scorer contenders love: 13.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, while shooting 56.3% from the field and 41.3% from three. That\u2019s not \u201cgood for a bench guy,\u201d that\u2019s elite efficiency, period. When a wing is over 40% from three and still finishing like a power forward, you have to take it seriously.<\/p>\n

The Spurs<\/a> context is what makes this one tricky. They\u2019re winning, they\u2019re near the top of the West, and teams in that spot don\u2019t usually sell productive pieces for fun. So the Lakers\u2019 angle would depend on whether the Spurs want to reshape the roster for an even higher playoff ceiling, or if they decide a different archetype fits better. Johnson\u2019s name becomes interesting in that scenario because he\u2019s valuable and his salary is a real matching slot.<\/p>\n

For the Lakers, the fit is basically two needs at once: wing scoring and toughness without sacrificing spacing. Johnson doesn\u2019t need to be spoon-fed. He attacks closeouts hard, he runs the lane, and he rebounds like he\u2019s mad at the ball. In playoff basketball, you need at least one wing who can bully a mismatch and steal you possessions when the offense gets sticky.<\/p>\n

The shooting is the separator. If he was a non-shooter, you\u2019d worry about him getting ignored. But at 41.3% from three, you can\u2019t help off him, and that keeps the floor open for the stars. That\u2019s why he\u2019s such a clean fit, the Lakers don\u2019t have to compromise their spacing to get more physical.<\/p>\n

Defensively, he\u2019s not a pure stopper, but he competes and he\u2019s strong enough to hold his ground. The real question is cost. At $17.5 million, plus whatever the Spurs would demand for a piece they actually use in winning lineups, it won\u2019t be cheap. Still, if the Lakers are hunting an impact wing who adds scoring punch and doesn\u2019t fold physically, Johnson is one of the best answers on this list.<\/p>\n

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7. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
\n\"NovNov 28, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) drives to the basket during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Sometimes the best deadline target is the guy who already knows how to play winning basketball next to stars, no drama, no learning curve, just plug-and-go. That\u2019s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.<\/a><\/p>\n

Caldwell-Pope is doing exactly what he\u2019s always done: give you two-way role production you can trust in real games. He\u2019s averaging 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 21.1 minutes, with 40.5% from the field, 34.8% from three, and an absurd 93.1% from the line.<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies<\/a> are the 11th seed in the West at 17-23, outside the top 10 right now, and when teams are in that zone, they start weighing whether it\u2019s worth keeping veterans or flipping them for assets, flexibility, or younger pieces, which is the actual reporting around a trade for Ja Morant<\/a> right now.<\/p>\n

Caldwell-Pope also sits in that sweet spot where contenders value him more than rebuilding teams do, because his impact is mostly in the details that win playoff possessions.<\/p>\n

For the Lakers, the fit is ridiculously clean<\/a>. He spaces, he relocates, he doesn\u2019t hijack possessions, and he guards. That\u2019s the entire job. The Lakers have had too many role guys who are either offense-only or defense-only.<\/p>\n

Caldwell-Pope stays playable because he does both. He can chase shooters, fight through screens, and take tough matchups so your stars don\u2019t spend their whole night navigating picks.<\/p>\n

Offensively, you\u2019re not trading for a creator, you\u2019re trading for reliability. He\u2019s the guy who turns a LeBron drive into a punished rotation, not a wasted kick-out. Even if the 34.8% from three isn\u2019t elite, the willingness and the reputation still matter, defenders don\u2019t want to be the one who leaves him clean.<\/p>\n

The main drawback is salary matching at $21.6 million, and the fact that the Lakers would be paying for playoff value more than flashy counting stats. But that\u2019s exactly why I like it. Playoff basketball is about who stays on the floor. Caldwell-Pope stays on the floor, and that alone makes him one of the smartest targets the Lakers can chase before February.<\/p>\n

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Final Thoughts<\/p>\n

If we\u2019re talking the most realistic, most \u201cthis could actually happen,\u201d I\u2019m starting with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Grizzlies keep living in the Ja Morant rumor universe, and when that kind of noise hangs over a team, the veteran contracts around the edges become the first domino candidates.<\/p>\n

KCP at $21.6 million is exactly that kind of piece, valuable to contenders, movable in one clean move, and not the type of player the Grizzlies would build their entire future around if they pivot. If the Grizzlies even sniff a retool, KCP becomes a very real phone call.<\/p>\n

Keon Ellis feels like the most probable \u201cLakers actually do it\u201d target, because it already fits the way deadline deals happen. The Kings are in a spot where listening makes sense, and Ellis is a cheap, playable defender at $2.3 million.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of contract contenders chase when they want a rotation upgrade without blowing up their books. And they can make an offer that gets a conversation going: Dalton Knecht plus a pick. The Kings get a young wing who can shoot, plus an asset, and the Lakers get a guard defender who can actually stay attached and make life annoying for opposing ball-handlers.<\/p>\n

Andrew Wiggins is the swing option, and it depends on whether the Heat are really leaning into the long game. If the Heat truly want cap flexibility for 2027-28 and they\u2019re eyeing the \u201cbig game hunting\u201d window for someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic, then moving $28.2 million off the books becomes a real priority instead of a cute idea.<\/p>\n

From the Lakers side, the cost probably hurts. Rui Hachimura feels like the type of salary the Heat would want in a Wiggins framework if they\u2019re trying to stay competitive, not just dump money.<\/p>\n

But if the Heat angle is \u201cclean the books,\u201d then the Lakers can get creative: expiring money like Maxi Kleber and Gabe Vincent, add Knecht, toss in a salary filler with picks, and suddenly the Heat get exactly what they want, flexibility and a young asset, while the Lakers get a legit two-way wing who fits the job.<\/p>\n

So yeah, my order is pretty much that: Ellis and KCP are the most realistic because the league logic is simple and the deals don\u2019t need a miracle. Wiggins is the one who becomes real if the Heat actually commits to the long-term cap plan and treats the deadline like a bookkeeping opportunity, not just a basketball one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Los Angeles Lakers are currently sitting at 24-15, the 5th seed in the West, and the clock…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":543030,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3790],"tags":[7,4034,1698,300,4044,251,150,4033,4043,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-543029","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles-lakers","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-la","10":"tag-la-lakers","11":"tag-lakers","12":"tag-lalakers","13":"tag-los-angeles","14":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","15":"tag-losangeles","16":"tag-losangeleslakers","17":"tag-nba"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115911391943700981","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=543029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/543030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=543029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=543029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=543029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}