The Los Angeles Lakers' 2025 offseason is off to an underwhelming start, with the team losing more impactful players than they have managed to add. While having Luka offers some level of future stability, it is a continued concern what LeBron James is going to do.
While he has opted into his player option, James won't hesitate to force a trade if there is a belief that a better fit is out there. All of this adds up to a franchise facing a lot of concerning questions only days into the 2025 offseason. One interesting answer Los Angeles is reportedly exploring is the addition of former Bucks' guard Damian Lillard.
Anytime in the last half decade, it wouldn't come as a surprise that the Lakers had interest in Lillard. The star is an impressive career shooter and would play well off any star tandem Los Angeles has put together. However, this is where it is important to note that Lillard is coming off a torn Achilles, and a timeline of his return is far from set in stone. Adding to this is the fact that Lillard wasn't an elite defender prior to the injury.
Why Should the Lakers Add Injury-Prone Damian Lillard?
The Celtics, Lakers and Warriors all recently expressed interest in signing Damian Lillard, per @sam_amick (https://t.co/aAm9fAePAU).
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 2, 2025
Lillard will make $22.5 million annually from the Bucks through 2030 after his contract was stretched following a torn Achilles. pic.twitter.com/JAHqhyYNAA
As reported by NBA insider Sam Amick, the Lakers have expressed interesting in signing the All-NBA guard.
Best case scenario, the Lakers add Lillard and add in Luka and LeBron as the primary trio. Who is defending the opposing team's best player? It isn't going to be Dame or Luka who have both established themselves as iffy defenders. While effort is given, there simply isn't the needed skill to defend at a high level.
Who are the Lakers beating in the playoffs with this trio? Adding Lillard on a cheap contract as a flyer would make sense for Los Angeles. Anything beyond this would be a mistake that has prevented the Lakers the past few seasons from taking advantage of the LeBron era.
Whether it is LeBron or Luka, you're building around, the focus needs to be on adding wing defenders and shooters. This is what the Lakers lack, not another scoring option. Adding Lillard is an interesting desperation move, but not one that suggests the Lakers are closing the gap to the top teams in the conference.