Lakers Already Teasing Trade Ahead of Season Opener
By Cem Yolbulan
We are less than four weeks away from the tip-off for the 2024-25 NBA season. Even though they have LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the team, Lakers fans are far from excited for the season to start. The main reason for that is the lack of roster improvement in the offseason. While the rest of the Western Conference got stronger, the Lakers stood pat and brought the same team from a year ago.
The main hope among the fanbase was that the Lakers would trade their first-round picks for immediate help. Los Angeles can trade their 2029 and 2031 first-rounders. Combine that with the salaries of D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura and the Lakers could potentially get a high-level starter to pair with LeBron and AD. Much to the frustration of the fans, that hasn't happened yet.
Fortunately, however, GM Rob Pelinka hinted on Wednesday that such a trade may be incoming. In his press conference before the team reconvened for the season, Pelinka said that the team is open to trading one or both of their draft picks, according to Lakers insider Jovan Buha.
NBA News: Lakers Open to Trading First-Round Picks
Rob Pelinka said the Lakers are open to trading one or both of their first-round picks if it’s a move that leads to “sustained Lakers excellence.”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) September 25, 2024
Rob Pelinka, when asked about pursuing trades to turn the team into a contender, says "we believe in this group" but added that it will take 30 games or so to properly evaluate what the team has this season.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) September 25, 2024
Yet, this came with a concerning caveat. Pelinka added that the move would only come if it led to "sustained excellence". This makes one think that the Lakers will target younger players rather than veterans, potentially limiting the available trade targets.
Plus, NBA insider Dave McMenamin reported that Pelinka wants to see this group for the first 30 games or so to properly evaluate them. This could be interpreted as a hedge by the front office if they eventually decide to not make a move. Considering that this is the same roster and starting lineup from last year, it's difficult to understand what more data points Pelinka needs to come to terms with the fact that this is not a title contender.
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