The Los Angeles Lakers are expecting Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant to be back in the lineup for their next game on Friday, and it looks like the team will wait for those two to return before making “judgements that could lead to changes.”
“The Lakers have indeed looked at free agents for a potential in-season roster boost — first Moe Harkless and more recently Joe Wieskamp and Tony Snell — but the sense I got after spending the past week in L.A. is that their preference is to wait for the returns of Dennis Schröder and Thomas Bryant before making judgments that could lead to changes,” Marc Stein wrote on his Substack. “The Lakers have high hopes that Schröder in particular can give the offense a boost after both he and Bryant sustained thumb injuries during the preseason that required surgery.”
The Lakers could somewhat improve the talent on the roster by signing one of the free agents Stein mentioned, but none of those players would really make the 3-10 Lakers a substantially better team.
Even the returns of Schroder and Bryant likely will not get the Lakers to where they want to be.
At this point, it seems like the only move that could do that is some kind of blockbuster trade.
For months, the Lakers have been encouraged by fans and pundits to send their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in return for talent.
However, lead executive Rob Pelinka is clearly hesitant to make such a move. When it comes to potential trades, there have been some interesting reports lately.
First off, one report indicated that the Lakers are waiting for a “specific” player to be made available via trade. It is currently unclear who that mystery player is.
A more recent report pointed out that some people around the league believe LeBron James recently opened the door for the Lakers to acquire Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who has made headlines for his off-court issues recently.
Of course, the potential deal involving Indiana Pacers stars Myles Turner and Buddy Hield is also considered an alternative route for the Lakers.
Schroder and Bryant should help the Lakers become more competitive. Schroder has career averages of 14.2 points and 4.7 assists per game. He’s a career 33.8 percent shooter from deep and will likely help stretch the floor for the Lakers.
Bryant is a pure center and should be able to assist Anthony Davis in the frontcourt.
Hopefully, the returns of both veterans help the Lakers get their season back on the right track.
