In the high-stakes chess match of NBA roster building, a move that seems "mind-boggling" on the surface is usually either a stroke of genius or a sign of desperation. Last season, the Phoenix Suns provided a masterclass in the latter.
Pundits ripped Phoenix when they traded a crown jewel—an unprotected 2031 first-round pick—for a trio of picks (2025, 2027, and 2029) destined to land in the late 20s. The logic was that Phoenix needed "ammo" for a follow-up blockbuster. Instead, they stood pat, using the 2025 pick to draft Liam McNeeley at No. 29 before immediately shipping him to Charlotte for Mark Williams. Essentially, they traded a potential lottery pick for a mid-tier center.
Now, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Los Angeles Lakers are flirting with a similar, dangerous strategy.
The Strategy: Quantity Over Quality?
League sources indicate the Lakers are canvassing the market to see if they can flip their 2031 or 2032 first-round picks for multiple first-rounders. The goal? To arm GM Rob Pelinka with more "tradable" chips to pair with the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Maxi Kleber.
On paper, it adds "optionality." But in practice, it’s a massive gamble:
The "Penny for a Dollar" Problem: By trading a distant, unprotected pick (when LeBron James will be long retired), the Lakers are giving up an asset with immense speculative value for several assets with low ceiling value.
The Suns’ Shadow: Just like Phoenix, this move only justifies itself if there is a second and third domino ready to fall. If the Lakers "break" their pick and fail to land a star, they’ve simply diluted their future for a collection of role players.
The Reality Check: Who Are They Chasing?
The bigger question the Lakers must answer is whether any player they bring in via this method actually makes them a championship contender.
The Western Conference has shifted from a veteran battleground to a gauntlet of young, deep, and disciplined squads. Can a trade centered around Hachimura and a few late first-rounders really help L.A. leapfrog the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets, or the surging San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets?
"It would be tough to answer 'yes' to that in the current West."
Waiting for Summer
There is a strong argument for patience. With LeBron James and Austin Reaves entering free agency this summer, the Lakers' financial and roster landscape will look entirely different.
By holding onto their premium 2031 asset now, they keep their powder dry for a summer where they can potentially restructure the entire roster around Luka Doncic (whom they famously acquired last year) without the desperation of a mid-season deadline.
Flipping a future for the present is a Laker tradition, but as the Suns showed us, sometimes having "more picks" doesn't mean you're making better moves. It might just mean you're making more mistakes.
Related Article: NBA Trade Rumors: Golden State will trade Butler?
Comments
Post a Comment