NBA Trade Deadline Grades: New York Knicks steal deadline day; Lakers disappoint

Los Angeles Lakers

Trade deadline moves: N/A

After all the build-up over the last few weeks, the rumors, the whispers, and the speculation, the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the few teams that decided to stand pat at the NBA Trade Deadline. The Lakers are admittedly playing better basketball of late but I'm not sure there are many around the league that believed the Lakers wouldn't make at least one move on deadline day.

Zero. Nothing. Maybe the Lakers make an addition or two via the buyout market but it's hard to envision how this is a win for the team. The Lakers have essentially waived the white flag on the season. And that has to be insulting.

The unfortunate part of all this is how the media is trying to sell the Lakers' inactivity: they believe they have a chance to pry Donovan Mitchell away from the Cleveland Cavaliers via trade with their three trade-eligible future first-round picks that become available. I'm sure that will quiet the outcry and pushback from the fan base and, perhaps most importantly, from LeBron James. Buckle up, I'm sure this will go over well in Los Angeles.

Grade: F