With the 2026 NBA trade deadline less than a month away, there remains the question of how and if L.A. will utilize their assets for a trade to improve their chances at a title run this season.
We’re about a month away from the one-year mark since the Lakers and Mavericks shocked the sports world during last year’s trade season in a move that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles and Anthony Davis to Dallas. Now sitting at 23-12, 35 games into the 2025-2026 season, we have a pretty solid idea of what this current Lakers team is and isn’t.
Being ranked 23rd in defense, the clear need for size, defense and athleticism will surely be prioritized when looking for potential trade targets. More specifically, the highly coveted two-way players who can defend and shoot threes at a high level. The Lakers will have their 2032 second round pick, their 2031 first round pick and roughly $40 million in expiring contracts available to trade.
February 5th, 2026 marks the NBA trade deadline with more trade activity anticipated to come to the market within the next few weeks. The biggest and only move as of late came from the Hawks and Wizards, where Atlanta sent their star Trae Young to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
3 Realistic Trade Targets That Can Raise L.A.’s Ceiling
When looking at potential trade pieces, the Lakers aren’t going to make a trade for the sake of making a trade. They’ll have to consider if these pieces can help them win now and be a core piece going forward alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Keon Ellis from the Sacramento Kings
Keon Ellis will be a highly sought after trade piece for many teams. He’s currently on an expiring $2.3 million contract and fits the exact archetype the Lakers are looking for. Despite receiving inconsistent minutes this season, he’s a career 41.5% three-point shooter (35.5% this season) and a very good POA defender. He can make an immediate impact and fills two crucial needs for the Lakers.
Andrew Wiggins from the Miami Heat
Wiggins has been a target of the Lakers for quite some time now going back to last summer. He’s shooting 39.5% from three this season and remains a solid defender. He fits the two-way mold and would be the perfect 5th starter next to Doncic, Reaves, James and Ayton. He is under contract until the 2027 offseason, starting at $28.2 million this season.
Herb Jones from the New Orleans Pelicans
While it has been widely reported that the Pelicans either don’t plan on moving Herb Jones or that they will ask for two unprotected first round picks in return for him, he is undoubtedly the best wing defender in current trade rumors. He was selected to his first All-NBA Defensive team in the 2023-2024 season and prides himself on the defensive end of the floor. He’s a career 36% three-point shooter and would massively improve some of the defensive holes on the Lakers’ roster. He is currently on a 5-year deal and makes roughly $14 million this season.
If the Lakers decide there isn’t a move worth making, they will have to retool over the summer. They will however have to shift their focus to the free agent market. They can either use their current expirings now and get a return on those contracts or let them expire in the summer and free up cap space. They’ll also gain access to more draft capital in the offseason.
The Lakers take on the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at Crypto.Com Arena in what will be the first matchup since 2022 between LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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