The Los Angeles Lakers are in the market for a trade that could help their roster go from starting strong to sustaining success. The early developments have been encouraging, but most agree that said trade will be necessary for the Lakers to build upon their strong start.

The biggest hurdle in that regard will be adding players via trade at a cost that doesn’t necessarily set the Lakers back in another area.

Los Angeles has trade assets that it can justify parting with, including future first-round draft picks and team-friendly contracts. The ideal scenario, however, is for the Lakers to avoid giving up significant compensation in any potential deal.

That’s easier said than done in most scenarios, but after Los Angeles gave up first-round picks in trades for Dennis Scrhöder and Russell Westbrook, Rob Pelinka is understandably reluctant to part with another.

Thankfully, multiple options on the trade front may not command the first-round price tag the Lakers have previously had to pay.

It’s reasonable to believe they could, but the opportunity cost could be low enough for Los Angeles to include protections if they must pay the Round 1 price.

That all begins with a veteran point guard who can help the Lakers create a necessary sense of 4rstability on both ends of the floor.

Malcolm Brogdon, Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards acquired Malcolm Brogdon in a trade centered around Carlton Carrington, a 2029 first-round draft pick, and two second-round selections. This isn’t to say that they view Brogdon as purely expendable, but the move was clearly made with the intention of building for the future.

With this in mind, it stands to reason that the Lakers could persuade the Wizards to execute a trade that centers around draft picks—thus opening the door for a wildly beneficial acquisition.

Between 2020-21 and 2023-24, Brogdon averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 2.1 three-point field goals made on .458/.395/.856 shooting. Beyond the numbers, he’s a high-IQ guard who can play with or without the ball, and defends at a more than adequate level.

With Brogdon in the fold, the Lakers would have a player they could either start or task with leading the second unit—and the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year could excel equally in either role.

Los Angeles would need to match a hefty salary, as Brogdon is owed an expiring salary of $22.5 million. That should excite Lakers fans more than it dissuades them from buying in, however, as his expiring contract gives the team the option to let him walk if it doesn’t work out.

Los Angeles could offer packages that either center around D’Angelo Russell or Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and first-round compensation—meaning long-term contracts would be shed.

Dorian Finney-Smith, Brooklyn Nets

One of the most intriguing players on the open market is Brooklyn Nets 3-and-D forward Dorian Finney-Smith. A versatile defender who can match up against scorers at multiple positions, Finney-Smith is a low-risk, high-reward type of target.

The Lakers could potentially acquire the 31-year-old for a package that centers around second-round picks, and in turn, greatly improve their defense.

Finney-Smith is the proverbial Swiss Army knife at the modern power forward position. He can situationally put the ball on the floor and finish in the paint, space the floor with a career mark of 35.7 percent from beyond the arc, and crash the offensive glass at a rate of 2.0 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Even when his offense falters, what makes Finney-Smith a perfect fit for the Lakers is that he can defend multiple positions at a high level—a skill the purple and gold lack beyond Anthony Davis.

In terms of the opportunity cost, Finney-Smith carries a $14,924,167 salary for the 2024-25 season and a player option worth $15,378,480 for 2025-26. That’s an acquirable salary that the Lakers can approach in multiple ways, much as they can with Brogdon—including floating a first-rounder out if the Nets are willing to take back a long-term salary, namely Vanderbilt’s or Vincent’s.

Swapping Vanderbilt for Finney-Smith could ultimately prove to be the move that gives the Lakers a chance for either a two-way upgrade or a quick financial reset.

Nick Richards, Charlotte Hornets

The worst-kept secret in the NBA is that the Lakers are in the market for a center who can operate as an ideal complement to Anthony Davis. A number of established names have been floated out as options, including rumored targets such as Brook Lopez and Jonas Valanciunas.

Both players offer reason for intrigue, but another name should be added to the list of potentially ideal targets: Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards.

Richards, 26, is currently playing his fifth season with the Hornets. He averaged a career-high 26.3 minutes per game in 2024-25, producing 9.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.6 offensive boards, and 1.1 blocks during that time.

Those figures translate to 13.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.5 offensive boards, and 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes—the type of production the Lakers would benefit immensely from adding.

With a salary of just $5 million, acquiring Richards is manageable from the perspective of matching salaries. It’s unclear if the Hornets will ask for a first-rounder in return, but this could be a long-term investment that yields significant results—thus justifying the asking price of a potential pick.

Mark Williams appears to be the priority at center in Charlotte, however, which could open the door for the Lakers to add a new interior anchor at an even lower cost.