The Los Angeles Lakers are at the forefront of NBA trade rumors as we move closer to the start of the regular season.
The Lakers sit in a unique place following a five-game preseason slate, winning just two games, both against the Sacramento Kings. While there were some positives, the overarching takeaway is that the Lakers still have an incomplete roster and various moving parts that’ll take some time for head coach JJ Redick to figure out.
Of course, the Lakers have no bigger need than at back up center, despite the offseason addition of veteran big man Kevon Looney, who looked shaky at best in the few preseason minutes he played. Meanwhile, L.A. still has questions on the wing.
Lakers Urged to Trade for Young, Scoring-Minded Forward
Following a report out of Memphis, Grizzlies swingman GG Jackson has found himself thrust into the NBA trade rumor mill, with fans jumping to link the 21-year-old former second round pick to the Lakers. According to league insider Jake Fischer, Jackson is among two Grizzlies on the trade block. Should the Lakers pounce? Yes, says Lake Show Life’s Maxwell Ogden.
“Though it’d be an unorthodox solution to the problem at hand, a trade for Memphis Grizzlies big GG Jackson is suddenly an at least somewhat realistic option to consider,” Ogden wrote. “Jackson, 21, is a fourth-year player who represents the manner in which hybrid players have found a niche in the NBA. He’s 6’9″ and 210 pounds with a 7’0″ wingspan and looks the part of an ideal power forward. He played significant minutes at three different positions in 2025-26, however, with 23 percent of his minutes spent at the 3, 33 percent at the 4, and 43 percent at the 5, per Basketball Reference.”
It wasn’t long ago that Jackson was seen as a future cornerstone in Memphis, especially after he earned a standard contract following multiple standout performances. Those included a 27-point game against the Chicago Bulls in February 2024, when Jackson became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 25 points off the bench, shattering a record held by the legendary Kobe Bryant.
With the Grizzlies progressively adding talent, Jackson appears to be a hot trade chip for the franchise. Even though Jackson will enter unrestricted free agency next summer, the Grizzlies won’t deal the young star unless they are offered a favorable return.
Would Jackson Fit in L.A.
Jackson has the tools and the numbers to back up his value, especially for a player who is still in the infancy of his NBA development. At least as an option off the bench, Jackson could register on the Lakers’ radar.
“In terms of what Jackson is known to do well, he ranked in the 97th percentile in defensive positional versatility during the 2025-26 season, per Basketball Index,” Ogden wrote. “He also ranked in the 98th percentile in rim shot creation, the 88th percentile in rim shot making efficiency, and the 76th percentile in perimeter isolation defense. With Doncic and Austin Reaves improving Jackson’s shot quality with their playmaking, he should also be able to at least hold defenses accountable with his jumper.”
Jackson, at the very least, has explosive scoring ability. He recorded a career-high 35 points and sank seven 3-points in a March 2024 game against the Golden State Warriors. While the Lakers don’t exactly need another scorer, they could make use of another player who isn’t afraid to put the ball on the floor against high-pressure defense, which in turn could help discourage the non-stop swarm around stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Lakers Pushed to Trade for 6’9″ SF Who Shattered Kobe Bryant’s Scoring Record