This offseason, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka made moves to improve the roster while still maintaining their focus on the future. They could’ve practically revamped their entire team but elected instead to keep two key rotational players.
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It became clear after Los Angeles’ disappointing first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves that the team needed to make changes. While some of those have been good, others seem questionable.
The Lakers’ biggest loss was, by far, the departure of two-way wing Dorian Finney-Smith. Throughout the second half of the season, he had become the team’s most reliable defender. LA also created three additional roster spots by waiving Jordan Goodwin, Trey Jamison III and Shake Milton.
The Lakers’ additions may significantly overshadow the loss of Finney-Smith. Pelinka attacked the buyout market, signing Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart each to two-year deals. Their final free-agent signing brought in forward Jake LaRavia.
It’s clear the Lakers aren’t the best constructed team, but they have the elements to be pretty good this upcoming season. Instead of pulling the trigger on other potential trades, Pelinka decided to finalize the existing roster for the 2025-26 NBA season.
“Still, the feeling around the Lakers is that the team is pretty much set as it is and that no major trades are forthcoming until the season gets rolling,” Sean Deveny of Athlon Sports said. “The Lakers have had opportunities to include the likes of Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade packages already, but have declined to do so.”
The rationale behind the front office’s decision hasn’t become public knowledge, though it isn’t difficult to understand why Pelinka was reluctant to part ways with the pair.
Despite the addition of Smart, the Lakers’ guard depth is quite fragile. The former Defensive Player of the Year has only played in 54 games over the last two seasons. Vincent’s a great insurance piece if Smart misses time.
Vanderbilt, on the other hand, is now the team’s best perimeter defender. Although he can’t space the floor like Finney-Smith, it isn’t easy to find a replacement for what Vanderbilt can do on the defensive side of the ball.
It doesn’t help that the trade market hasn’t been as robust as the Lakers would’ve hoped. Deveney quoted a Western Conference executive in saying, “[The Lakers] have not been attacking the trade market by any stretch of the imagination. Most teams now are in a sort-of wait-and-see mode, and I would include the Lakers in that.”
To all the Lakers fans who don’t think the team can make it over the hump, don’t hold your breath. The tides could change during the season. All it takes is one trade. The Lakers are perfect examples of this philosophy. They did land Luka Doncic after all.
