Report: Lakers Preaching Patience That Right Trade Will Eventually Materialize

According to NBA insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers are preaching patience that the right trade will eventually materialize.

The Lakers have been quiet this offseason. They haven’t added any new players via free agency and haven’t made any trades. 

Los Angeles fired Darvin Ham as head coach and hired former NBA shooting guard JJ Redick, who has never coached in the NBA.

The Lakers also drafted Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. 

“As things stand, the Lakers are preaching patience that the right trade will eventually materialize while betting that healthier versions of Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent, the addition of Knecht and the promotion of Max Christie into the rotation will shore up the group’s perimeter defense, athleticism and shooting,” Buha wrote. 

The Lakers are interested in acquiring Jerami Grant from the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the Blazers want two first-round picks for Grant and Los Angeles is not going to part ways with two first-round picks for a player who has never been an All-Star. 

The Lakers went 47-35 in 2023-24. They lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs in five games.

Denver also beat Los Angeles in the 2023 Western Conference Finals in four games. 

Redick signed a four-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $8 million per season with the Lakers. According to Buha, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Redick is focused on elevating Anthony Davis’ involvement and alleviating LeBron James‘ workload in 2024-25. 

LeBron, 39, is the oldest player in the NBA. He turns 40 in December. 

“He explained his decision-making process when it comes to strategy, how the analysis and empirical evidence would always guide his choices rather than preconceived notions or outdated beliefs,” Charania, Buha and Amick wrote. “Redick described a system molded around this roster, focusing on elevating Davis’ involvement, particularly late in games, and alleviating the constant ballhandling duties on James by utilizing him more off the ball. Keeping James, who turns 40 in December, fresh down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs will be critical.”