Deal done : The perfect depth  Trade How the Lakers can boost their championship hip Odds with a bold three players deal

 

 

The Los Angeles Lakers are having a surprising season, with the franchise looking extremely competitive under new coach JJ Redick despite major roster concerns. They added defense and shooting by acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, and the franchise is now the No. 4 seed in the West with a 20-14 record.

They can be legitimate contenders if they continue making aggressive win-now moves to fill out their rotation. The holes in the Lakers roster are clear, as they still need a backup big man and perimeter-oriented 3-and-D player to fit around playmakers like LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

 

 

They also have the salaries and draft picks needed to make the kind of movers that will strengthen their bench. If they were willing to, they could add three high-level role-players for peripheral roster pieces and a few draft assets in a deal with the Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets

 

 

Both the Raptors and Hornets intend on being tanking teams this season, with the 2025 NBA Draft being a potentially game-changing one for both franchises. This allows them to get worse while adding assets that could be useful in the future for them. The Lakers land a collection of role-players they can effortlessly work into their own roster to make a push for a title

 

When we look at the recent history of the NBA, we see teams that went all-in on having multiple stars wound up flaming out during the season or early in the Playoffs. Depth is what makes modern NBA teams useful, as it allows them to withstand the 82-game season grind without seeing their stars get injured while also having enough versatile options to keep defenses guessing instead of playing through one player alone.