As the Los Angeles Lakers go through preseason, many continue to wonder aloud about what move the team will make to cut their roster to meet the NBA-mandated limit.
As the California Post’s Khobi Price noted, a trade could be on the horizon.
“This is the likeliest trade scenario for the Lakers to get down to 15 players. A 2-for-1 involving two of (Jaden) Hardy, (Dalton) Knecht and/or (Jarred) 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,” Price wrote. “There’s a chance they’d still be able to acquire an asset such as a second-round pick this way. But even if they didn’t, this scenario would make them roster compliant and maintain future financial flexibility.”
Now the million-dollar question is what a potential consolidation trade involving these players could look like. Will it bring back a starting-caliber wing or a legitimate backup big man? Because those are the areas the Lakers need to address no later than the midseason deadline if they are serious about competing for this season’s NBA championship.
Who Could Land On the Lakers’ Trade Radar?
With all the names we’ve heard in Lakers trade speculation over the last several months, it may seem like there are infinite options for the Lakers to choose from. But that probably isn’t the case. What L.A. could do, however, is get particularly aggressive at the trade deadline and use their 2032 first round pick swap and some players to package in a deal for a potential star. One player we should keep an eye out for is New Orleans Pelicans big man Yves Missi, according to Lakers Nation’s Trevor Lane.
“Here’s who I wanted to get to. Yves Miss — a player the Lakers have had interest in the past — there is some buzz right now about him with the Pelicans maybe moving him into a starting role this season; they’ve been really happy with him. But if — and reportedly the Pelicans want way too much for all their players; the asking price last year was very high on Yves Missi. But (he’s) a player the Lakers have had interest in and somebody certainly worth keeping an eye on.”
Missi, 22, is certainly early in his development. A former All-Rookie selection, Missi has already flashed high upside and, at 6’11” and weighing roughly 240 pounds, has the physical tools to be an intriguing, versatile frontcourt star. If the Lakers were able to get their hands on Missi, who averaged 9.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a rookie in the 2024-25 season, he would become the team’s tallest player after 7’2” center Walker Kessler. L.A. could really use some size up front.
Any Other Options?
The big man market may be limited — something that can also be said about the Lakers’ trade assets — but there are some players out there who could be available and have potential to make an immediate impact for L.A.
One player who has made the rounds in Lakers speculation is Luka Doncic’s not-so-close buddy Goga Bitadze.
“This is one (player) that I have brought up a lot; I think Goga makes a lot of sense as a target for the Lakers. The Orlando Magic are a very expensive team, especially relative to their quality overall, and usually when you get a team that is a lot more expensive their results would suggest, which is certainly the case with Orlando, they typically look to make some cost-cutting moves. … But Goga Bitadze is a guy who only has one year left on his contract — $7.6 million.”
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