Thought the trade rumors around the Los Angeles Lakers were over? Ha! Who are we kidding?
In fact, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka fueled the trade rumor fire when he revealed that the team could explore a “consolidation trade” to become roster-compliant. Speculation continues to bubble over the Lakers’ final move before the start of the 2026-27 regular season, with some expecting (or wanting) a trade while others predict L.A. will waive a player.
While it sure doesn’t seem like the Lakers are angling to make a big trade, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus recently fired out an article listing five top targets for the Lakers, with former L.A. forward Julius Randle slotting at No. 1. Randle hasn’t been mentioned much in trade rumors since he was moved from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Brooklyn Nets, but could the Lakers be eying a reunion with the 31-year-old?
Randle Back to the Lakers? Well…
It may be true that no one jumps at the opportunity to send the Lakers an impact player. That may be especially true if the Lakers don’t have more than a measly first round pick swap to offer in a deal. Now, Randle, with all due respect, isn’t a player worth a king’s ransom, but he is a multi-time All-Star in his prime. So, what would it take for L.A. to acquire him? Well, according to Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts, Randle returning to the Lakers in a trade isn’t very likely at all.
“The problem for the Lakers here is that Rob Pelinka spent nearly all of the organization’s draft capital over the summer while retooling things around Luka Doncic,” Watts wrote. “If Pelinka wanted to call up the Nets and ask about Randle, he’d have very little to work with. Randle would presumably relish a return to the Lakers, especially since it would mean escaping the lowly Nets. But it’s hard to see a deal happening. Besides the meager draft capital that LA is endowed with at the moment, Randle’s sizable 2026-27 salary ($33.3 million) would mean the Lakers would have to do a 4-for-1 trade with Brooklyn, creating roster limit problems for the Nets.”
While Pincus believes Randle would give the Lakers a “very different frontcourt” option, perhaps there are better ones out there when considering factors like fit and money.
Is Randle Even a Need for L.A.?
Yes, many continue to argue that the Lakers need a star power forward — but is Randle the answer?
“I vehemently disagree with the notion that Julius Randle is what the Lakers need,” Lakers reporter Jovan Buha said during a recent episode of his podcast.
Sure, Randle would be a considerably better option than any player the Lakers currently have on their roster. But do the Lakers have enough to get him? And if they do, would it then be wiser to use that same package to acquire someone younger and cheaper?
Long story short, the Lakers don’t have a ton of incentives to pull the trigger on a Randle trade. And even if they did, it would be hard to entice the Nets to comply.
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