3 Lakers on Thin Ice After Luka Doncic Trade
By Chris Schad
The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks pulled off one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic on Saturday night. The deal, which also features the Lakers receiving Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris and the Mavericks receiving Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick, sent shockwaves across the NBA but may have an even bigger impact moving forward.
The Lakers enter Sunday with a 28-19 record and in fifth place in the Western Conference. With a two-game lead on the Minnesota Timberwolves for an automatic playoff spot, the trade jump-starts Los Angeles’s playoff push but also puts several players on thin ice as they could be looking for another deal to improve the roster.
So who could be on the trade block following his departure? Here’s a look at three names to keep an eye on ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
1. Jarred Vanderbilt’s Return Just Got More Important for the Lakers
Jarred Vanderbilt is an energetic role player but has yet to make a big impact for the Lakers. While Vanderbilt averaged 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 26 games for Los Angeles after coming over in a deal at the 2023 trade deadline, he was limited to 29 games before suffering a Lisfranc injury last February.
A pair of offseason surgeries followed and Vanderbilt didn’t make his season debut until a January 25th win over the Golden State Warriors. While the 25-year-old has been on a minutes restriction, he’s been a multi-faceted but modest producer when on the floor averaging 2.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.5 assists per game.
While you could see a world where Vanderbilt carves out a role to help ease the blow of losing Davis, there’s also a scenario where he gets traded to find Davis’s replacement. The Lakers have been connected with Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl and Davis’s departure makes it likely Los Angeles could make another aggressive move to land the defensive center even with an asking price of multiple first-round picks.
Vanderbilt’s health and defense are both demerits when it comes to his game and he could be viewed as expendable considering he has three years left on the four-year, $48 million contract extension he signed with the Lakers in September 2023.
The Lakers could be excited about Vanderbilt’s return but not for the reason you expect. With his health returning, he could wind up becoming a trade chip and help Los Angeles land what they’re really looking for.