The Los Angeles Lakers finished their season being upset in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. As the third seed, the Lakers lost in five games to Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. The series showed that while the Lakers still have two of the three best players in a series in LeBron James and Luka Doncic, their supporting cast is bleak. In Game 4, head coach JJ Redick played five guys the entire second half. The lack of trust in his bench is evident, and if the Lakers want to turn things around, they need to get some help.
Top 4 Lakers Realistic Trade Targets to Chase a Title
Before we start talking about Lakers potential trade targets, let’s check what Los Angeles can offer. Lakers fans always have the biggest wish list. They have been spoiled over the years, and the Doncic trade made things worse in that regard.
That being said, this offseason, the Lakers are well-equipped to make some trades. While they do not have many first-round picks to dangle, they have nearly $60 million in expiring salary (assuming Dorian Finney-Smith exercises his player option). Per Bobby Marks of ESPN, the Lakers can trade a first-round pick in either 2031 or 2032. At the same time, they can swap firsts in 2026, 28, 30, 31, and 32. As a sweetener, they have one second-round pick to trade. With that in mind, let’s take a look at realistic trade targets for the Lakers.
Nic Claxton
Nic Claxton has a contract through 2027-28 that decreases over time. He would be an ideal running mate for Doncic. While Claxton had injury issues in the first few years in the league, he has played 70+ games in the past three seasons. The Nets are clearly rebuilding, and they already made a move with the Lakers last year. LA can come back and ask for more help from Brooklyn.
Isaiah Stewart
If the Lakers want a cheaper option, Isaiah Stewart is certainly a possibility. He is just 23 years old and isn’t quite a polished player on offense. However, Stewart is a great defensive big who would solve most of LA’s troubles in the paint.
Redick has admitted several times during the playoffs that they do not have a rim protector. Enter Stewart, who averaged 1.4 blocks this season in less than 20 minutes of action.
Jonas Valanciunas
Third-time is the charm? The Lakers tried to sign Jonas Valanciunas in the 2024 summer but failed. They then sniffed about trading for him at the deadline and failed again. LeBron was willing to leave money on the table for the Lakers to get him. So, we know that he would love to play with him.
Valanciunas probably isn’t part of the Sacramento Kings’ future. But he has a great contract that they would not give away for free.
DeAndre Ayton
DeAndre Ayton might be a sneaky great move for the Lakers. Ayton is a high-risk, high-reward player that might make or break the team. When engaged and willing, Ayton is a great presence in the paint on both sides of the ball. The problem is during his last years in Phoenix, he demanded a bigger role on offense and wasn’t keen to set picks and defend for Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
Ayton is a former No.1 pick who will be entering the last year of his contract. And he is only 26 years old. Would he be willing to sacrifice stats to be part of a championship contender? That is the big question the Lakers should be trying to answer. With the Blazers having so many bigs, Ayton is expendable. Here is an interesting fact: in each of his six seasons in the league, he has averaged a double-double.
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