NBA Trade Rumors: If the Los Angeles Lakers stand pat at the NBA Trade Deadline, they'd be making a huge mistake.
With the NBA Trade Deadline officially two weeks away, there are many teams with a big decision on their hands. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers are one of those teams. Just a few games out of a top 4 seed in the conference, if the Lakers can make the right move at the deadline, there's reason to believe they could emerge as a dark horse threat in a wide-open West.
However, at least for now, the whispers are that there's a better chance the Lakers make a small (and probably insignificant) move or stand pat rather than make a big splash. I'd say that would be a huge mistake and a missed opportunity for the Lakers. For a team that doesn't have the luxury to throw away another season, Los Angeles can't afford to continue to play the long game. That's exactly what they did at last year's trade deadline and even during the offseason. So far, it hasn't gotten them any closer to helping LeBron James win another title.
The Los Angeles Lakers are failing LeBron James
Here's my biggest gripe with the Lakers: They can't continue to play both sides of the coin. The Lakers can't continue to ride the final few years of LeBron's year while also trying to build for the future. It shouldn't work that way. For LeBron, the Lakers should be as aggressive as they can be to build a contender around LeBron. For the past two seasons, Los Angeles has failed at every turn to do so.
And it's not even just a disservice to LeBron, it's also one to Anthony Davis. According to a recent report, the two are concerned the Lakers won't be able to make a significant upgrade to their roster before the trade deadline. All because the Lakers' front office continues to play the waiting game - for what could be available during the offseason.
To be quite honest, I'm not sure what the Lakers are theoretically waiting for. Looking across the league, what superstars would realistically be available during the offseason? Giannis Antetokounmpo is not going to be traded this offseason. Even if he did demand a trade, the Lakers don't have the assets to get a deal done. That's the pipe dream of all pipe dreams. Joel Embiid? That could be a possibility but he doesn't fit the Lakers at this point in his career.
The only two other remote possibilities are De'Aaron Fox or Steph Curry, but the latter feels like pie in the sky as well. Maybe Fox is the target the Lakers are waiting for. Even then, it does sound a bit foolish to throw away another great season from LeBron at 40 years old to have the small chance of trading for a fringe All-Star point guard.
Over the past few seasons, the Lakers have failed LeBron. He may never admit it but the lack of supporting talent that he (and AD) have had to play with is unfortunate. The fact that the Lakers are probably going to let another trade deadline come and go without a significant win-now move is even more depressing.