{"id":578440,"date":"2026-02-03T00:40:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T00:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/578440\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T00:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T00:40:14","slug":"lakers-need-defense-help-before-nba-trade-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/578440\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers need defense help before NBA trade deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heading into the NBA trade deadline, the Lakers are in sixth place in the Western Conference with a record of 29-19, not bad considering LeBron James<\/a>, Luka Doncic<\/a> and Austin Reaves<\/a> have only played 140 minutes together because of injuries to James and Reaves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t know how good the Lakers could be<\/a> once that trio develops a rhythm<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But we do know this: The Lakers need help on defense. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Luka Doncic at Madison Square Garden during the Lakers\u2019 game against the Knicks. JASON SZENES\/ NY POST<\/p>\n

They\u2019re 25th in defense rating and they\u2019re allowing their opponents to make 68.3 percent of their shots from five feet or less, with only the Jazz and Kings allowing better percentages.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Remember when Rudy Gobert looked like Shaquille O\u2019Neal in the Lakers\u2019 first-round playoff series against Minnesota last April? Well, that wasn\u2019t an anomaly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Lakers are trying to target a big defensive-minded wing who can patrol the paint as well as spread the court by making 3s. But they\u2019re hampered by being pressed against the first luxury tax apron, they only have a single tradable first-round pick and a single second-round pick and they don\u2019t\u00a0want to take on contracts past this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But when it comes to the trade deadline, general manager Rob Pelinka is hard to predict.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He stood pat in 2022 and 2024. But in 2023, he moved Russell Westbrook and acquired six players, which led to the team reaching the Western Conference Finals. Last February, Pelinka helped orchestrate the most shocking trade in NBA history, dealing Anthony Davis for Doncic<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lakers head coach JJ Redick yells to his team during the second half against the Clippers. AP<\/p>\n

Heading into this year\u2019s trade deadline, if Pelinka makes a move, it will likely be around the margins.<\/p>\n

Focusing on the offseason makes the most sense for the Lakers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They can create substantial cap space then and make big-time moves to build around\u00a0\u00a0Doncic. They\u2019ll go from having one tradable first-round pick to three at that time. Not to mention, James, Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber and Jaxson Hayes<\/a> will become unrestricted free agents, while Deandre Ayton<\/a> and Marcus Smart could join them if they decline their player options.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That said, it would be a shame to waste Doncic\u2019s\u00a0MVP-caliber campaign this season \u2014 as well as potentially James\u2019 final year with the team \u2014 by not making a move that would put the Lakers in a position to compete for a championship now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

LeBron James (drives to the basket against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

The Lakers had been eyeing De\u2019Andre Hunter and Keon Ellis, but they were just traded for each other as part of a three-team deal. Walker Kessler has been a dream target for a while, but he\u2019s sidelined after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With the dearth of available 3&D players, the Lakers\u2019 restrictions and their long term\u00a0goals, their options are limited.<\/p>\n

New Orleans\u2019 defensive wiz, Herb Jones, would be a great fit, but apparently his asking price is too high and would include two first-round picks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Some other names the Lakers could target include Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, Donte DiVincenzo and Troy Murphy III.<\/p>\n

Some of those players also have steep asking prices, and it remains to be seen whether they\u2019ll come down in the next 72 hours so the Lakers could get a deal done to bolster their defensive\u00a0presence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Lakers are going to pour their resources into reshaping the team this offseason.<\/p>\n

So, until then, Doncic, James and Reaves might have to hope that their offensive becomes so stellar that it can compensate for their defensive holes, unless Pelinka can make something happen by Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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