NBA Trade Rumors: The Los Angeles Lakers have inquired about trading for several different players this offseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that seemingly needs to upgrade their roster via trade before the start of next season but at least for now, it's almost impossible to predict how they'll be able to accomplish that. And even though the Lakers haven't been able to make a splash move via trade so far this summer, it certainly hasn't come without effort. To begin the offseason, the Lakers tried (and ultimately failed) to land Klay Thompson via free agency. Since then, they've also reportedly inquired about trading for six other players.
According to a recent report, the Lakers have tried to trade for Jerami Grant, Kyle Kuzma, Bruce Brown, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Wendell Carter Jr. Realistically, there's probably a few other names that the Lakers have kicked tires on so far this summer.
Ultimately, the Lakers have held back in going all-in for any of these players. Even though the Lakers haven't been able to secure a deal, there's still a chance something can change between now and the start of training camps. For now, the Lakers have remained patient in pursuing a potential difference-making trade this summer.
How patient are the Los Angeles Lakers truly willing to be?
The big question for the Lakers heading into this next phase of the offseason revolves around how patient they're going to continue to be on the trade market. In theory, it would make sense for the Lakers to practice patience on the trade market. However, at a certain point, the Lakers are going to come to this realization that they probably have to make some sort of move eventually.
With the way their roster stands, it would be foolish to expect the Lakers to emerge as a championship contender in the Western Conference, especially with how many of the other contenders are likely to continue to improve heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.
They have to make an upgrade to their roster. The question is, will it come before the start of the season or will the Lakers continue to practice patience in waiting for the right deal to materialize without pushing in an aggressive way? It's clear that the Lakers are itching to make a deal. At least for now, they don't seem ready to move aggressively toward getting something done.