Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Lakers could mortgage their future in pursuit of a third star

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 5/12/24

The Los Angeles Lakers could look to add a third star during the offseason. A first-round exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets has proven that their current roster isn't good enough to contend for a championship.

According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, who recently appeared on an episode of his "Buha's Block" podcast, the Lakers could package some of their future draft picks to make a big move this summer.

“It will be the first time that they could use all three of their tradable first-round picks, and it’s a prime opportunity for them to potentially get either a third star," Buha said. "...Whether that is a significant move like a trade for Trae Young or Donovan Mitchell or a smaller move bringing in a 3-and-D wing or another big man remains to be seen. The Lakers are going to explore their options on draft night. My understanding is that they will be active and aggressive and try to use that pick.”

The Lakers should be wary about trading away future draft assets. Their star player is almost 40 years old, and Anthony Davis has struggled with fitness throughout the majority of his tenure with the team.

Pushing too many chips in now could make it harder to pivot in a year or two when LeBron James decides to call time on his playing career.

GM Rob Pelinka is walking a tightrope. He is under pressure to help James contend for another championship before he retires. However, he has to ensure the Lakers can remain competitive in the post-James era, and part of that is ensuring there are enough tradable assets to retool on the fly.

Moving one or two of their draft picks is a sensible decision. That would allow the Lakers to have another pick they can lean on in trade talks when they're in dire need of a reset. Assuming James has retired by that point, the pick would undoubtedly be highly valuable.

Whatever the Lakers decide to do this summer, the move must be geared toward getting the team over the hump. James and Davis want to win. They've proven capable of leading a team to the highest levels of success. If the Lakers fall short again, they might not get another chance with their star duo.

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