The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be busy heading into the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Rob Pelinka has already begun to reshape JJ Redick’s roster, acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets. However, there’s more work to be done if the Lakers are going to emerge as championship contenders.
Jimmy Butler is currently the star name on the trade market. The veteran forward issued a trade request after a string of issues with the front office. According to one-time Laker and future Hall of Famer, Carmelo Anthony, Butler’s best option would be to push for a move to the Lakers.
“Right now? “I’m sending Jimmy to the Lakers’ best-fit Lakers,” Anthony said via his ‘7 PM in Brooklyn’ podcast. “You got a veteran team, you got veteran guys on your team. Bron knows how to f**k with you, he knows what you gonna bring to the team. They need defense, you could bring that, you bring toughness and you can go get it. Bron don’t want to have to keep going and get it all. Like AD is going out there doing what he’s doing. You put Jimmy alongside!”
Butler would fit the LeBron James and Anthony Davis timeline. However, he would likely be an expensive addition for the Lakers. We all know Pat Riley can drive a hard bargain, and it’s unlikely Pelinka would be willing to part with draft picks for an aging veteran.
Furthermore, Butler’s current contract would make it incredibly difficult for him to slot into the Lakers rotation, especially with a legitimate supporting cast around him.
Lakers’ Not Chasing a Third Star
Despite the Lakers’ struggles with inconsistency, it would appear the front office isn’t chasing a third star. Instead, Pelinka is expected to look for high-level rotation players to raise the overall floor of the roster.
“Instead of frantically hunting for a third star or pushing chips in on a starting-caliber center, the Lakers, rival executives believe, will move in different ways than it might’ve seemed earlier this season,” Dan Woike of the LA Times reported.
Building out a strong supporting cast makes sense. LeBron and Davis are still capable of spearheading a championship push. However, they need more players high-quality rotation players around them to make it happen. It’s also worth noting that Austin Reaves has been playing well in his new role as the Lakers’ third option. Redick will likely continue with that system moving forward.
Lakers Could Chase a Center
Assuming the Lakers do target rotational upgrades, they’re expected to pursue another big man. Jonas Valanciunas and Nikola Vucevic would fit the bill as veteran bigs available on the trade market for a reasonable cost.
“Having acquired the wing defender they sought in Finney-Smith, the next item for the Lakers on their list is a backup center,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported. “The Lakers will continue to try and acquire Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas or another backup center on the trade market with their remaining future second-round draft capital, and Gabe Vincent is expected to be dangled in talks as well, league sources told HoopsHype.”
Whatever the Lakers choose to do, they could enter the second half of the 2024-25 season in better shape than they started it. Redick has done a good job of implementing a new system on both sides of the floor. Now, Pelinka must do his part and give Redick players that can thrive within that system. Finney-Smith was a good start. Whoever comes next could dictate how the Lakers season goes in the coming months.
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