The Los Angeles Lakers are one of a few teams that have been linked to several players ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline. While new trade rumors hint at some of their big-name targets now being out of reach, they’ve consistently been reported to have interest in one player in particular: Keon Ellis of the Sacramento Kings.
Ellis hasn’t had a chance to show his true potential on this Kings team, and while the Lakers have been linked to him for some time now, the possibility of them going after him has only increased with a new report from ESPN indicating they are looking for ‘bargain deals’ ahead of the deadline, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst.
Ellis has also seen interest from other teams, most notably the New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors, but if the Lakers do find a way to add the fourth-year wing, he could come in as a big help for their defensive issues.
In any trade with Sacramento, the Northern California team is set on giving up Malik Monk as well. Though he might not bring a ton of added value to Los Angeles with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton, any potential deal for him and Ellis would likely come down to how much the Lakers are willing to give up.
Lakers Land Keon Ellis In Trade Idea
Writing for LakeShowLife, Maxwell Ogden outlined a trade idea that would see the Lakers adding Ellis and Monk, two players, at their full potential, who could hopefully fix the team’s issues defending across the board, while taking some of the scoring responsibility off Doncic and James.
Here’s the trade he offered up:
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Keon Ellis, Malik Monk, and a 2029 first-round pick
Sacramento Kings receive: Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht
While the Kings giving up a first-round pick seems unlikely, trading both Ellis and Monk remains a strong possibility, considering both names are linked to a Jonathan Kuminga trade with Golden State. Both appear available, and both could come into JJ Redick’s roster as much-needed wing players for their bottom-tier defense.
Additionally, the idea of the Lakers trading Hachimura and Knecht is nothing new. With the former’s contract, he remains the most likely piece to be moved in any potential deal for a game-changing player, while Knecht, struggling to get minutes this year, was named the most likely Los Angeles player to be traded by the deadline, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton.
“Ellis is the exact player the Lakers need. He’s an athletic wing defender who can meet players at multiple positions at the point of attack. He’s also a career 41.5 percent shooter from beyond the arc,” Ogden wrote on this trade idea. “Compounded by the fact that Monk is shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range in a trying 2025-26 season, the Lakers could diversify their offense and improve the defense in one fell swoop.”
The Lakers have eyed Ellis for a while, and even if a deal has to include Monk, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to take that type of risk, especially considering their poor recent form.
Lakers Trade Rumors
As mentioned, the Lakers have been linked to a ton of players over the past few weeks. While it’s hard to tell their true potential with Reaves out since Christmas, the current roster has a ton of holes that Rob Pelinka is expected to address before the February 5th trade deadline.
Yet still, like the Warriors and a few other teams, many of their big-name targets now appear out of reach, as now, someone like Ellis would be their top trade target, considering both his potential value and the current contract he’s on.
Los Angeles has also been linked to Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans, a player who would transform their defensive potential. However, the Lakers are relatively restricted on the types of moves they can make, with both limited financial flexibility and only a few available draft assets to be moved.
That’s why, like in the idea for Ellis, the Lakers are expected to find ‘bargains’ in the trade market, per an unnamed Western Conference executive.
“They’re going to be looking for bargain deals and they might be able to find one if they’re willing to take on long-term money,” a West general manager told Bontemps and Windhorst. “But they probably need to make sure that player is a good fit with Luka to justify it.”
“The Lakers have one tradable first-round pick and can trade up to five pick swaps, but they sit just $1.1 million below the first apron and aren’t permitted to exceed it, leaving them little maneuverability to take on short-term money,” the two insiders added.
While names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lauri Markkanen would be big, the Lakers’ best and most realistic chance at adding talent before the trade deadline is working around the margins.
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