NBA insider says he thinks Rob Pelinka still has a ‘move or 2 left in him’ to make Lakers competitive this season

Published by

Peter Dewey

January 31, 2023 2:50 pm

NBA insider Chris Haynes believes that the Los Angeles Lakers and Rob Pelinka still have a move left in them ahead of this season’s trade deadline.

The Lakers already made a move ahead of the deadline by acquiring forward Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round draft picks.

The move certainly bolstered the Lakers’ depth, but Haynes believes there could be more coming.

NBA insider Marc Stein also chimed in saying that the Hachimura deal was “designed” so it could leave the Lakers time to consider another move.

If Los Angeles does make another trade, it will be interesting to see who the team is willing to give up to make a deal happen.

Moving on from guard Russell Westbrook’s contract would allow the Lakers to take on players with larger salaries, but the team may also have to attach draft capital to make a deal happen.

The Lakers could also attempt to move a player like Patrick Beverley, who is also in the final year of his contract.

Right now, Los Angeles holds the No. 13 spot in the Western Conference with a 23-28 record. The Lakers are hoping that the return of Anthony Davis from a stress injury in his foot will help them make a run in the second half of the season.

However, the team still has holes on the roster, primarily the lack of consistent shooting from beyond the arc.

Los Angeles would love to be able to space the floor around Davis and LeBron James, and it has been rumored to be interested in one of the better floor spacers on the trade market, Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic.

Pelinka and the Lakers are armed with two quality assets, their first-round selections in the 2027 and 2029 drafts. However, the team likely has to be willing to sacrifice these future picks to truly get an impact player that could help the team contend this season.

Given how well James has played this season, it may make sense for Los Angeles to go all in to try to maximize the final prime years of his career.

The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 9, so there is still plenty of time for the Lakers to work out a potential deal.

Peter Dewey

Peter is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he covered the MAAC and college basketball for three years. He has worked for NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering basketball and other major sports. Follow him on Twitter @peterdewey2.