2025-26 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Keon Lewis is the guy everyone wants.

so let’s see if we get him. If we trade the 2032 unprotected 1st round pick for him. What are you waiting for??? You wanna win it right??? I guess he’s on a Cason Wallace level.

the 1st round draft pick 2032 unprotected is the equivalent of a prospect in baseball. So look at our owner. Is Friedman advising him who is advising him. Sit on this. Do they want to save it for Gianiss in the off season not sure. Well figure it out or do they want to use it on Herbert Jones?? I been wanting Herbert Jones.


I don’t know what Rob’s plan is. Maybe it’s Dalen Terry. We have a trade relationship with them.

what would you give up for Jaden Ivey???

looks like Detroit isn’t featuring him.


Jose Alvarado is okay. f***ing had Scottie Pippen Jr. and just got rid of him.

the elephant in the room. Is Bronny is supposed to be this guy. That’s what we drafted him for.

he’s got the young legs.

 

you ain’t getting Bilal he was one of their lottery picks.

 

Have you seen Kole KNEPEL?

 

Maybe why that’s why we aren’t rushing. Because we know we have to be careful. Maybe they really think they need to get Gianiss. The picks are capital we need to make sure we use it on the right player.

 

Lakers are interested in Keon Ellis
Even athletic discuss that now.

The Lakers need to trade for defensive help. But can they find it?



Dan Woike
Dan Woike
Dec. 19, 2025 10:28 am PST



SALT LAKE CITY — As the Los Angeles Lakers walked off the court after one quarter on Thursday, the problem they needed to solve most was represented by the giant 41 next to the Utah Jazz logo. The 78 they allowed in the first half was the most they’d given up this season.

The Lakers’ needs, even before that clunker half, are obvious enough. They have a high-powered offense led by Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James generating open shots at the 3-point line and at the rim. Add in Deandre Ayton playing terrific basketball as a complementary center and Rui Hachimura making jumper after jumper regardless of his rhythm, and the needs are squarely on the defensive end of the court.

But in conversations with people inside the team’s locker room and on its coaching staff, there’s a recognition that the answers, both internal and external, aren’t all that obvious.

Earlier this week, JJ Redick said clearly what it takes for a role player to star alongside Dončić, Reaves and James: “Defend and shoot 3s.”

Turns out most good teams are looking for those players.

“There aren’t a lot of ’em,” said one Eastern Conference executive, who was granted anonymity so he could speak freely about the trade market. “And everyone wants one.”

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The New Orleans Pelicans, according to team and league sources, have signaled to interested teams that they’re not entertaining Herbert Jones trades — at least not at any cost the Lakers can meet. L.A. could offer a single unprotected first-round pick and matching salary for Jones once he becomes trade-eligible in January. And for players like Jones, the asking price is usually a combination of good draft capital and young players.

It’s also important to note that Joe Dumars and the current Pelicans front office signed Jones to a contract extension this past offseason.

Sacramento’s Keon Ellis, another player coveted by teams looking for on-ball defensive help, could certainly be traded by the deadline as he enters free agency this summer. League sources believe the current price tag on Ellis is a protected first-round pick.

“He’s maybe the most divisive player in the league,” one league source said, pointing to the near-universal approval Ellis has from rival scouts and the lack of on-court opportunities with the second-straight coaching staff.

While the shooting part of the equation is there with Ellis (he’s a career 42 percent shooter from 3), the defensive impact is where the gamble exists. Some people think of Ellis as a defender more suited for creating turnovers than he is at actually slowing down opponents.

Others who aren’t as high on him have concerns about his size and ability to defend bigger guards.

Still, he seems like the kind of player the Lakers will consider this trade season — though they won’t be alone in their pursuit.

The Lakers had internal discussions about Andrew Wiggins earlier this summer and could revisit those if they decide to sacrifice cap space next summer to improve this season.

Another player worth monitoring will be LA Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. He’s already shown how valuable he can be next to Dončić when they played together on the Dallas Mavericks, and with the Clippers’ combination of losing and lack of draft assets, they’d have to listen to reasonable offers.

Some other players rival scouts and executives mentioned as potential fits included the Brooklyn Nets’ Terrance Mann and the Charlotte Hornets’ Josh Green. If the Chicago Bulls decided to move off of guard Ayo Dosunmu, he’d fit the bill too — though the Bulls have held him in high esteem in the past and would probably seek a haul.

The combination of the Lakers’ tradeable picks (one first and one second) and the league-wide lack of interest in the team’s recent draft picks puts the team in a bit of a bind.

There’s a recognition that finding more defensive help on the perimeter is important for a lot of different reasons. The Lakers would like to take those assignments off Reaves’ plate. They’d like to better balance some lineups. And of course, they’d like to give themselves better chances against speedy guards like Keyonte George, who lit up the Lakers for 34 points Thursday in L.A.’s 143-135 win.

How they actually get this done, though, is another question, one that doesn’t have an easy answer. Supply is low. Demand, likely, will be high.

And the Lakers only have so much they can give.


Dan Woike
By Dan Woike
Senior Writer, Lakers
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Dec 19, 2025
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Dan Woike covers the Los Angeles Lakers for The Athletic. He's written about professional basketball in Los Angeles since 2011, first for the Orange County Register and most recently for the Los Angeles Times. His work has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the Pro Basketball Writers Association, the Los Angeles Press Club and the California News Publishers Association. He's originally from Chicago. Follow Dan on Twitter @DanWoikeSports



It means they are not going to get him
Who else is available?

 

Jamal Shehed Toronto Raptors he would be a good one.

Vince Williams Jr. Memphis grizzlies would be a good one. For young legs. Maybe you can bring back GG Jackson there to.

what is Ben Simmons doing??? Free agent signing.

Zaire Williams young legs forward.

 

Josh Okgogo Chicago Bulls available maybe get him.

I mean these guys can play some type of defense.

you can get Jrue Holiday on a buyout.

 

Jrue aint getting a buyout - he's got a s***ty a** 2 more years on a big whomping 35-37 million/year salary that was signed before second apron rules kicked in

It's basically the one reason he could be available

 

kon knueppel?

yeah, he's good and better than i expected, but he's not flagg. once dallas stopped trying to play him at pg--for the first several games of his rookie year at 18 years old--he's looked great. i think a thumb/hand injury has hurt his shooting, but it doesn't matter because he can get anywhere he wants on the floor already. and he's a great defender. totally justified #1 pick.

isaac okoro? or do you mean houston's josh okogie?

 

if prices are high on ellis and others, we just need to find another laravia. hit a single without giving up much.

 

Lol yeah Ellis is devisive. Look, we are not going to get the perfect player. I mean Herb would be the closest thing to that, but thats really narrowing it down. Ellis would be a good compromise. He's good at forcing turnovers, absolutely, which helps with igniting fast breaks. In terms of keeping opposing players from getting to the paint, hw is good at that too. He's quick, has quick feet and hands. Just probably not the greatest against brut force-but we got 2 out of the 3 covered- bwtter than what we have now- and he's a very accurate 3 pr shooteramd is an athlete

 

Can we get Sabonis for Gabe,Kleber, Vando ,Knecht and maybe some cash ?

 

Interesting that Grimes is on there. His situation is a little more complicated. Can't be traded until Jan 15, needs to waive no-trade clause, and the team that receives him does not get his bird rights. But, in our case, we might have some cap room to sign him anyway. LaRavia + Knecht for Grimes + Edwards does work. Idk if I have the patience to wait until Jan 14th though.