Lakers Miss Golden Opportunity to Add Low-Cost All-Star

The Los Angeles Lakers have been extremely busy since their season ended back in April. GM Rob Pelinka understands that the pressure is on and the Lakers need to vastly improve this roster to create a true championship contender.

The Lakers now have J.J. Redick running the ship and added Dalton Knecht and Bronny James in the NBA Draft with the focus now pivoting to free agency and the trade market.

Los Angeles is tasked with adding quality playmakers around LeBron James and Anthony Davis but they missed the perfect opportunity to add an All-Star player.

New Orleans Pelicans Traded for Dejounte Murray

On June 28, Shams Charania reported that the New Orleans Pelicans traded Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, and two first-round picks to the Atlanta Hawks for Dejounte Murray.

This was a steal for the Pelicans and the Lakers should have been all over this type of deal. Los Angeles could have easily put a package together of their first-rounders in 2029 and 2031 with someone like Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent to complete the deal.

Murray is an athletic and lengthy playmaker in the backcourt. The 27-year-old is a disruptive defender but scores from all three levels offensively. In 78 games for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2023-24 season, Murray averaged a career-high 22.5 points with 5.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.

Having someone like that on the floor with LeBron and Davis would have elevated the roster.

These of the kind of moves that Pelinka is going to need to pull off this summer to add some young, elite talent to the roster.

The clock is ticking on a championship window around this duo, so every move matters.

This was a great opportunity but they missed out. Hopefully they cash in on the next one.

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