WHO SHOULD STAY + WHO SHOULD GO FOR THE LAKERS?

Do not look now, but the perennial NBA trade deadline is only 39 days away. That might not seem super close, but as is the case with all life events February 6th will be here before we even know it.

With an 18-13 record (tied with the Clippers for the 5th seed in the Western Conference), there is no shortage of routes Rob Pelinka and his fellow organizational leaders can take throughout their upcoming discussions in the war room. However, simply standing pat and doing nothing does not seem like a realistic option for the current roster. That is not to say that this is a bad team by any means, but the only missions this year are to win a championship and maximize what is left of LeBron James’ career. As currently constructed, this squad is just not on the same level as championship contenders like the Celtics and Thunder.

So which active Los Angeles Lakers players will retain their purple and gold uniforms after the deadline comes and goes?

WHO SHOULD STAY?

LeBron James | Yes, there have been rumblings of a potential LBJ relocation. No, the GOAT is not taking his talents elsewhere.

Anthony Davis | If the King is staying put, would it make any sense to part ways with the heir to his throne?

Austin Reaves | AR-15 has been mentioned in some past trade rumors, but each and every time he does the front office debunks those conspiracies. He has been a godsend for this franchise since he entered the league in 2021, and has seemingly unlocked a new level of swagger since debuting his headband earlier this month. With LeBron out of action with an illness last night against Sacramento, Reaves controlled the entire offense and dished out a career high 16 dimes. He is here to stay.

Rui Hachimura | While his $17 million salary could be inserted into a package for a bonafide 3rd star this season, it would appear that the big wigs view Hachimura as a legitimate long-term piece (as they should). When he arrived in LA from Washington, he was almost exclusively known for his abilities as a midrange scorer. That reputation lived on throughout the 33 games that he played with the team following the trade, but he has become so much more since the final buzzer sounded of that particular regular season. He scorched the nets to the tune of 48.7% shooting from beyond the arc during the 2023 postseason, and was widely applauded for his defensive efforts against the 3x MVP Nikola Jokic during the 2023 Western Conference Finals. He followed that up by connecting on 42.2% of his triple tries last year (12th in the league), and is currently hitting a whopping 45.2% of his 3’s this year (7th in the league) while also sustaining his solid efforts on the less glamorous end. With Hachimura set to turn 27 just 2 days after the deadline, he should be heading into the prime years of his playing career. He ain’t going nowhere.

Dalton Knecht | He may no longer hold the lead in the Rookie of the Year race, but make no mistake about the big time boost that Dalton Knecht has provided this team. Knecht is currently 3rd among rookies in 3-pointers made per game (1.7) and 6th in connection rate from the great beyond (36.7%). It took a few games for the rook to profoundly proclaim his arrival, but he is HERE and that will remain the case for years to come as he continues to develop at the professional ranks.

Max Christie | After inking a well-deserved contract renewal this offseason, it took Christie a little longer than anticipated to find his footing early on this year. However, he has clearly started figuring things out since the start of December (10.4 PPG | 3.3 RPG | 1.6 APG | 1.2 SPG | 43.5% FG | 40.9% 3FG | 86.8% FT). You know you are always going to get a significant level of defensive effort from the Michigan State product, but if he can stay consistent and efficient with his shooting numbers there really is no great reason to demote him back to the bench unit.

Cam Reddish | Everyone is entitled to their own respective opinions, and it seems as though the common consensus is that Cam Reddish is not cut out to be in the NBA. But why? He is about as volatile as they come in terms of offensive efficiency, but he is in the midst of a career campaign in terms of overall shooting (47.1% FG). Furthermore, he effectively utilizes his 6’7” frame and lanky wingspan while hounding all shapes and sizes of perimeter scoring threats. You could do a lot worse than having Reddish as one of your break-in-case-of-emergency options off the pine.

Bronny James | As long as his father is a Laker, Bronny will remain a Laker. And while the narrative of him being handed his roster spot is surely not going anywhere anytime fast, the Prince has been COOKING since he started playing in the G League with South Bay. It is no longer crazy to envision him blossoming into a real rotation player at the NBA level, but it will certainly take some time and patience for him to reach that point.

WHO SHOULD GO?

Gabe Vincent | Sure, Vincent has slowly started to come around and is currently hitting 44.4% of his outside shots in December. That is all fine and dandy, but it still does not alter the fact that he has been arguably Los Angeles’ worst free agent signing since the Luol Deng/Timofey Mozgov snafu (outside of perhaps his fellow former Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn). The front office would be wise to get Vincent on a flight out of town ASAP, and his $11 million salary could be valuable in potential trade proposals.

D’Angelo Russell | It has been a tough year for D’Lo, who has pretty much been involved in trade chatter for almost 2 years now. He has struggled to establish any sense of consistent rhythm, and his role has dwindled with Reaves’s rise. It should only be a matter of time before he is shipped out.

Jaxson Hayes | Hayes, who has been sidelined with an injury for over a month, has been relatively solid in his role since he signed with the team during the 2023 offseason. His shooting efficiency has been off the charts (cumulative 72.1% shooting from the field across 81 total games thus far as a Laker), and his athleticism has produced some mind-boggling highlights. Unfortunately, highlights do not win basketball games. And even more unfortunately, Hayes has been featured in recent headlines for the wrong reasons. There are plenty of other options out there who can replicate the type of energy that he provides on the court while staying out of trouble off of it.

Jarred Vanderbilt | Another year, another mysteriously prolonged Vando injury absence. There is no denying the defensive tone that he brings to the table, but he cannot supply it when he is constantly on the shelf. It may be time to move on to a new defensive menace, and there are plenty of those out there across the league.

Christian Wood | While we have yet to see Wood in action this year as he also continues to work his way back from an offseason ailment, what we did see from him a season ago was quite underwhelming. Considering the type of bag he showcased throughout the few seasons leading up to his arrival at the Crypt, you could reasonably chalk Wood’s inaugural campaign with the purple and gold as a disappointment. There were some promising glimpses of his ability to make an impact in ways outside of scoring (most notably with his rebounding and rim protection), but those flashes were few and far in between.

Jalen Hood-Schifino | Given his age (turns 22 in June), physical gifts (6’5”, 215 lbs), and playmaking prowess, the sky is the limit for the heights which JHS can potentially reach in his basketball career. Unfortunately, injuries + a focus on competing for a championship + experienced skill players ahead of him on the depth chart have hampered his ability to take any type of steps forward throughout his first 2x NBA seasons. All signs seem to indicate that a change of scenery would be best for the former Hoosier.

Maxwell Lewis | Lewis has not had the injury battles as his classmate Hood-Schifino, yet he has been unable to secure any role at all in the Lakers’ rotation up to this point in his career. With LBJ + Hachimura + Knecht + Christie + Reddish all above him on the totem pole of wings, Maxwell Lewis also seems fated for a new place to call home.