There has been a healthy amount of speculation surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers and what direction they will take to put a bow on this offseason.
The front office has gone to great lengths to revamp the roster and put the pieces who have potential to work well alongside superstar point guard Luka Doncic. From the Walker Kessler sign-and-trade to the many free agents the Lakers welcomed, the team’s complexion is certainly much different than it was in the final game of the 2025-26 season.
But even after all the movement and the major money and assets invested into bringing new pieces, the Lakers are still without a hands down option at the power forward and backup center positions. Plus, there aren’t exactly any attractive free agents left on the market, and a trade of any sort won’t be easy to manufacture. So, where do the Lakers go from here?
The Lakers Should Look Into a Trade … Just Not for This Potential Future Star
There is a chance that the Lakers dip into their war chest one more time to pick up a low-profile but potentially high-upside player. Indiana Pacers big man Jarace Walker would fit that mold and, standing at 6-foot-8 with an efficient long-range jumper, there is a lot to like about the 23-year-old’s skillset. But NBA insider Keith Smith would advise the Lakers to steer clear of a trade for Walker.
“He was pretty bad in a big role for the Pacers a season ago when it was kind of the, man, we need him to be really good,” Smith said on the “NBA Front Office” YouTube channel. “And he got every opportunity to show what he can do and just didn’t play that well. And that sucks because I was super high on Jarace Walker coming in. I thought he was gonna be a big ball-handling wing that could do a lot of different stuff. It just never really kind of come together for him.”
Walker is still a developing player and someone the Pacers may see as a long-term cornerstone. He is young and coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 11.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Smith, however, doesn’t believe Walker has demonstrated enough consistency for the Lakers to mortgage more assets on him.
“He doesn’t shoot it well enough, defense is very messy, he’s not quick enough to guard the smaller guys, not big enough to guard the bigger guys. Very messy,” Smith said.
A Note on Walker; What Could L.A. Do Next?
Perhaps Pacers fans would agree with Smith’s assessment of Walker — except for his comments on Walker’s shooting.
Walker is no Wardell Stephen Curry, but he has shot nearly 39 percent from the 3-point line over his three NBA seasons, including his first two seasons where he shot above 40 percent.
Fortunately, the Lakers there are plenty more players out there the Lakers could trade for. Among them are the oft-mentioned Jalen Smith and Jericho Sims. Neither are going to get Lakers fans excited about next season, but both could help fill a pretty major void behind Kessler.
Lakers Urged to Avoid Trade for 6’8″ 3-Point Sniper Over Troubling Red Flags