The Los Angeles Lakers have made several moves this offseason to build a roster around Luka Doncic and LeBron James that could push for the Western Conference's spot in the NBA Finals.
The Lakers were limited in what they could accomplish via free agency, but they still managed to bring in players who have the potential to be major contributors from their first day in training camp. Of the bunch, Deandre Ayton should have the biggest impact on whatever level of success Los Angeles enjoys this season. He was brought in to be the answer at the center position after the Purple and Gold's issues on the interior were amplified in their opening round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While the Ayton signing was an important one and will be beneficial for the Lakers right away, they may have allowed other opportunities to improve the roster pass them by. According to Sean Deveney of Athlon Sports, Los Angeles turned down the chance to include a pair of reserve veterans in trade packages that would have brought others into the fold.
Lakers Made Questionable Trade Decisions in the Offseason
"Still, the feeling around the Lakers is that the team is pretty much set as it is, and that no major trades are forthcoming until the season gets rolling. The Lakers have had opportunities to include the likes of Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade packages already, but have declined to do so," Deveney wrote.
There is a train of thought that supports keeping Vanderbilt on the roster due to his defensive versatility. Turning down trade opportunities for Gabe Vincent, however, is a bit of a head-scratcher. Vincent is a fine player, but the idea of being hard-pressed to hold onto a veteran guard who is a sub-40% shooter from the field for his career, who has never been confused with a facilitating point guard, is perplexing at its best.
The trade opportunities referenced by Deveney did not include any specifics regarding the teams and players in question, beyond Vincent and Vanderbilt. It is entirely possible that the offers Rob Pelinka and the front office received for one or both of the veterans were not in line with the Lakers' plans for building out this roster. If that is the case, then so be it. Those are the decisions that Pelinka and company are paid to make.
However, if Los Angeles could have brought back anything of value in return for including Vincent in a trade, then the decision to keep the volume shooter on the roster as ball ball-handling option behind Doncic is one that Pelinka will have to own.
Time will tell how that works out for him and the Lakers.