Why LA Lakers are unlikely to trade for star players like Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray? Examining asset management and roster needs

By Itiel Estudillo

Modified Dec 27, 2023 02:08 GMT

Why LA Lakers are unlikely to trade for star players.

Despite winning the NBA In-Season Tournament, the LA Lakers are still struggling to come up with a winning record this season. As usual, the only way the Lakers organization seeks to turn things around is by once again making adjustments to their roster. Earlier this year, the Lakers expressed interest in acquiring stars like Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray.

However, it appears that it's unlikely that the Lakers will be able to acquire LaVine or Murray. Prominent NBA insider Shams Charania said that Austin Reaves is a key trading piece for the Lakers, but the organization isn't willing to trade him. Without Reaves in the trading scenarios, other teams could be less interested in letting go of valuable pieces.

Another major reason why teams could be likely uninterested in trading their stars to the Lakers is LA's lack of first-round picks. The Purple and Gold only have one first-round pick to deal. Given how they aren't willing to include Reaves in potential trades, draft picks would've been the next solution.

It's worth mentioning that the LA Lakers don't necessarily need to trade for another star player. On paper, the Lakers' core looks good. The only aspects the team lacks are additional shooters and a true big man. While Anthony Davis has covered the paint as the team's go-to big man, Davis is more of a forward than a center.

Still, the Lakers organization may want to rethink trading for another star.

How have the LA Lakers performed with their roster?

The LA Lakers (16-15) are ninth in the Western Conference. If the playoffs started today, they'd find themselves in the play-in tournament battling for a playoff spot. They've gone 2-6 since winning the In-Season Tournament.

The Lakers were off to a strong start showing lots of promise with their supposedly new and improved roster. However, LA struggles to keep the pace going during games. Based on how they've been performing, the Purple and Gold have a reputation for starting strong and then finishing with a loss.

Several reasons for their inability to keep their game consistent include questionable rotations made by coach Darvin Ham, a lack of shooters who can knock down shots consistently and a lack of rim protectors. If the Lakers organization could come up with solutions to these obvious problems, then the team could turn things around as the season progresses.