B/R Staff Roundtable: What Should Lakers Do at the 2023 Trade Deadline?

The Los Angeles Lakers have to make a decision between now and the NBA's February 9 trade deadline. Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus and his team looked at several trade possibilities for the team. They chose the best one for Los Lakers. They also provided specific trade packages for each option. The team might choose to pursue a blockbuster, a notable upgrade, or simply stand pat.

Lakers are interested in a potential trade with the Indiana Pacers. They would get Myles Turner, Buddy Hield and Russell Westbrook. The Pacers would receive the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. The Action Network's Matt Moore wrote that Turner's contract is up. L.A. won a title by surrounding their marquee duo with defense, shooting and players willing to accept defined roles. There is risk attached to the all-in approach. If Anthony Davis can stay healthy, the Lakers could still make the deal. It's possible that LeBron could be traded. He is still playing at an All-NBA level at age 38.

Lakers don't have the right timing for a big-money deal. They need to wait for Russell Westbrook's contract to expire and sign Kyrie Irving over the summer. The NBA is a very competitive market. There are few teams with real value for the Lakers.

Lakers are coming off a five-game winning streak and preparing for Anthony Davis' return. General manager Rob Pelinka took a dump all over the Lakers roster and, by extension, LeBron's age-38 season. The Lakers are waaay more than one trade away from contention. They should look for a player over 6'4. Josh Richardson is in the final year of his deal and not worth a first-rounder. San Antonio doesn't have a second-round pick in this year's draft.