While the Los Angeles Lakers are projected to have tens of millions of dollars in salary cap space this offseason, if they are to make significant changes or improvements to their roster, they may have to come through trades and not free agency.
This year’s free agent market isn’t expected to be strong, and a number of the difference-making free agents who will be available will be restricted free agents. Therefore, the Lakers may have to give up some value in order to bring in the type of athletic two-way wings or productive, defensive-minded big men they’re reportedly looking for.
They will have two future first-round draft picks plus the rights to their first-round pick this year to offer in any potential trade, and according to a report in The Athletic, people around the league expect them to be aggressive on the trade market.
“Team and league sources have said they expect the Lakers to be aggressive on the trade market,” wrote Dan Woike and Sam Amick. “The franchise can move its 2031 and 2033 first-round picks in addition to the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.”
The same report also mentioned two specific targets Los Angeles has had in the recent past, though it’s unclear how attainable either of them will be this summer.
“The Lakers have expressed interest in New Orleans wings Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones in the past, though New Orleans has yet to signal whether either is truly available.
“Still, there’s internal confidence that pathways toward an optimized roster for [Luka] Dončić will reveal themselves.”
Lakers fans have heard this talk before multiple times, only to see no moves or one move on the margins during the offseason or prior to the NBA’s trade deadline. Other than first-round picks, the team doesn’t have much trade capital, unless it decides to make Austin Reaves or someone such as Rui Hachimura available in a sign-and-trade deal.
Hachimura, LeBron James, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes will become free agents this summer, and Reaves is expected to opt out of his contract to become a free agent. In addition, guard Marcus Smart and center Deandre Ayton can opt out of their contracts to hit the open market.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers expected to be aggressive on trade market this summer
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
