The Los Angeles Lakers have been all-in on winning titles since LeBron James joined the team, and the 2024-25 NBA season is no different.
Despite not making any trades in the offseason, the Lakers are still expected to chase after a title and have so far shown some promise under new head coach JJ Redick.
Los Angeles has shown more organization on the offensive end, while defensively, Anthony Davis has kept the team afloat.
Unfortunately, it still feels like the Lakers are a piece or two away from truly competing with the top of the league.
One of their biggest needs is another center to pair with Davis, as the team is quite small in the frontcourt as currently constructed.
With that in mind, it appears that Los Angeles has two players in mind.
“Jonas Valanciunas and Brook Lopez are two targets on the Lakers’ ‘internal board.’ D’Angelo Russell is expected to be available as ‘outgoing salary,’” Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported, via Legion Hoops.
REPORT: Jonas Valanciunas and Brook Lopez are two targets on the Lakers “internal board”, per @JakeLFischer.
D’Angelo Russell is expected to be available as “outgoing salary”. pic.twitter.com/6NwNXh4g1o
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 9, 2024
Valanciunas and Lopez have long been linked to the Lakers, and it appears the front office could be more serious about acquiring one of them before the trade deadline.
The Lakers don’t have much in terms of salary to offer in deals, so it’s no surprise that Russell’s name comes up most frequently in trade talks.
The guard alone might not be enough to entice a team to trade, though the Lakers could sweeten a deal with draft picks.
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