The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly aren’t seeking out a big trade at the moment unless it is presented to them.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers are waiting for trade offers to come to them at this point in the season. Los Angeles has looked a lot better in its last few games after a 2-10 start to the 2022-23 season.
"My sense from talking to people around the league: [The Lakers] are not necessarily motivated right now to go do something big, unless something big presented itself to them. They're waiting for their phone to ring."
🗣️ @ramonashelburnepic.twitter.com/x2hLWQeHEk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 28, 2022
The Lakers have won five of their last six games, and they didn’t have superstar LeBron James in a few of those matchups.
James returned to the Lakers on Friday and helped the team win back-to-back games against the San Antonio Spurs.
With James and Anthony Davis both in the lineup, the Lakers have started to look like a potential playoff, or at least play-in, team this season.
Since the offseason, the Lakers have been rumored to be looking to upgrade their roster, potentially by moving off their first-round picks in the 2027 and 2029 NBA drafts, as well as Russell Westbrook, to do so.
However, Westbrook has become a key contributor for the team this season since moving to a bench role, and the Lakers don’t seem to be as willing to move on from the former MVP as once thought.
It also has become clear that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka isn’t sold on trading his future assets for players that may not get the team to the NBA Finals this season. Pelinka has shied away from reported offers such as the Indiana Pacers’ package of Buddy Hield and Myles Turner.
For now, the Lakers appear to be content with seeing how far the current roster can go, especially with their trade options opening up more on Dec. 15 when players that signed free-agent deals this past offseason are eligible to be traded.
The return of Dennis Schroder from a thumb injury, as well as the health of James, has been key to the Lakers’ mini turnaround at this point in the season.
With over 60 games remaining for Los Angeles in the regular season, there shouldn’t be a rush to make a trade, especially if it isn’t a deal that will take the team over the top in the West.
