Lakers urged to trade former first-rounder, draft capital for Pelicans' $68M defensive star

The Los Angeles Lakers were exposed by the San Antonio Spurs for their lack of defense, and it wasn’t pretty. While the Lakers have some defensive players on the roster, it’s not enough to contain a young, athletic team, like many of the top squads in the Western Conference. Additionally, LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul doesn’t believe the Lakers are true contenders.

“I don’t think they have enough to get to WCF… their style of play will be very easy to defend when you get into playoffs,” Paul told Max Kellerman.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka knows the team will need to be active at the trade deadline. One name to watch is Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans, who provides length, flexibility, and elite defense.

“The Lakers will pursue Herb Jones on the trade market, once the 3-22 Pelicans officially go into sell mode soon. After pursuing Andrew Wiggins throughout the summer, Los Angeles is now gearing up to aggressively chase Jones utilizing expiring contracts and future draft capital,” NBA reporter Evan Sidery posted.

The challenge is figuring out what a deal could look like. Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts suggested a package that includes Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, and some draft picks.

“It would take everything the Lakers have to entice the Pelicans to make this trade. It means giving up Dalton Knecht, their 2031 first-round draft pick, and a 2032 second-rounder. Los Angeles can’t get cute and lose out on the bidding. This is the perfect piece that fills a gaping hole,” Watts wrote. “Maxi Kleber’s $11 million expiring salary is a must in this trade. Paired with Knecht, the Lakers actually save $1.1 million in the deal, which opens room to sign a free agent to round out their roster.”

Jones is a promising young player who could bring significant energy to the Lakers. While Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura are solid defenders, that only covers two of the nine rotational players. Shipping Knecht makes sense, especially after he struggled to get out of his rookie slump.

If the Lakers want to contend for a championship, they’ll need to add athleticism and defense. Acquiring Jones would be a step in the right direction, but more moves will be required.