The Los Angeles Lakers are still without a starting power forward for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, as the team failed to land many of the names they were linked to in free agency and trade rumors throughout the summer.
However, despite not making a big offseason splash, the Lakers have several players on the roster in the mix for the job of starting power forward to at least start the season.
There are a few names the Lakers could target in a trade, but until the front office and coaching staff know what they have with this new roster highlighted by Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, going all-in and giving up assets might be the wrong move, at least at this point in the NBA calendar.
Lakers Urged Against Trade For Starting Power Forward
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Maxwell Ogden urged the Lakers to be patient in their search for a starting power forward, and should rather look internally instead of going out and making a trade before the season begins.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly pursuing their options on the trade front as they look to address the need for a starting forward,” he wrote. “Though the absence of an ideal fifth player easily justifies the Lakers’ interest in a potential trade, the reason they should remain patient is simple: They don’t yet know how this team will actually play or coexist.”
There are a few likely candidates currently on the roster who will be in the running to land the open spot in the starting lineup during the Lakers’ upcoming training camp, with Jake LaRavia, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jarred Vanderbilt, Matisse Thybulle, and Ziaire Williams all with the potential to take the role.
The Lakers have been linked to several names in recent and longer-term trade rumors after missing out on previous targets like Jonathan Kuminga. However, the team already made massive offseason changes, and with limited trade assets available, depleting that limited stockpile might not be the right move.
“Though it’s understandable and even admirable for Los Angeles to take the initiative, it would behoove Rob Pelinka and company to learn how the current pieces fit before completing a trade for another new player,” Ogden added. “With this in mind, the Lakers’ best path forward is to remain patient, start who they can at the 4 for the time being, and wait until at least Dec. 15 to pursue a trade for an upgrade at forward.”
So, though other options could be available, it might be best for the Lakers to play it safe for the time being, and at least go through the first few months of the upcoming season before deciding on a trade or any other big roster changes.
LA Has Trade Targets And Plans Lined Up
Despite what Ogden urged the Lakers to do when it comes to the starting power forward position, there have been reports that the franchise does want to make a move for a new player.
“Lakers trading for a starter: I think they’re exploring that. They’re going to try to do that whether it’s now or at some point ahead of the trade deadline,” insider Jovan Buha recently said.
Additionally, Khobi Price of the California Post believes a trade could be the best way for the Lakers to get to the 15-man roster limit set by the NBA, which they are currently over by one player.
“A 2-for-1 involving two of Hardy, Knecht and/or Vanderbilt, and a team with at least one open roster spot and a player on an expiring contract, would get the Lakers at the 15 players they need to be at by mid-October,” he wrote.
With that, there have been a few names consistently linked to a Los Angeles move, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report recently named five Lakers trade targets heading into the season.
His list includes PJ Washington, Derrick Jones Jr., De’Andre Hunter, Jarace Walker, and Julius Randle. The first three have been mentioned in rumors in the past, and those three would likely be less of a risk, as two of them have previous experience and proven success playing next to Doncic.
“The Lakers may seek a minor trade before the season starts to get down to the required 15 standard contracts from their current 16. While they still need starting-caliber forwards, that’s just on paper,” Pincus wrote on the situation. “The front office may wait until trade season, from mid-December to the February trade deadline, to get a real look at how the pieces fit together—but some potential targets are easy to identify.”
As mentioned, the Lakers tried to make a deal for several big names earlier in the summer, but at this point in the offseason, a push for another move feels less likely than ever.
Signs point to Los Angeles heading into the season with what they have on the roster and figuring out if a trade is the right move later on. They have a few solid options to fill the starting power forward role, but as a whole, nobody knows what this group will look like and how they’ll play on opening night.
Lakers Tipped For Final Decision On Trade Rumors As New PF Targets Emerge