Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers have been among the least-active teams around the NBA this summer. In fact, they have yet to add an outside free agent.
The biggest news thus far this offseason includes the hiring of JJ Redick to replace Darvin Ham and the selection of Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft.
As of right now, it doesn’t look like anything is going to be happening on this front any time soon. It’s a less-than-ideal scenario after a first-round exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Even with LeBron James and Anthony Davis doing their thing, these Lakers are not anywhere near legitimate title contenders as currently constructed.
Any hope of the Lakers pulling off a blockbuster trade to change that status can now pretty much be thrown out the window.
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Los Angeles was linked to the likes of Dejounte Murray, Trae Young and Klay Thompson earlier in the offseason. Murray landed with the New Orleans Pelicans in a blockbuster trade. Young is seemingly set to return to the Atlanta Hawks. Meanwhile, Thompson left the Golden State Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks.
Where does this leave the Lakers?
Well, they don’t have enough assets to land Lauri Markkanen in a trade with the Utah Jazz. Instead, Utah and Golden State are in conversations about a trade.
What about former Lakers player Brandon Ingram? He’s said to be on the trade block and would cost less than Markkanen. That seems to be a no-go, too.
“Right now, a blockbuster deal, I just don’t see it. I don’t see the Lakers having enough for Lauri Markkanen,” Lakers insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported. “I’ve not heard of any interest with Brandon Ingram. So, I don’t see them going for those two guys.
In a vacuum, getting wing help would make sense for the Lakers. It’s an area they struggled in last season. LeBron has been playing more of a power forward role, too. It creates some major issues as it relates to spacing for the Lakers.
It just doesn’t seem as if Los Angeles has the assets to pull off a needle-moving trade at this point.