The Lakers came out of the very eventful 2024-25 NBA season with a bit of a mixed bag, as the team reset its future with the trade for Luka Doncic and, at the same time, was left bitterly disappointed with the five-game elimination at the hands of the Timberwolves in the Western Conference playoffs’ opening round.

They’ve tried to retool the roster with low-risk gambles on point guard Marcus Smart, center Deandre Ayton and wing Jake LaRavia, but fans who hoped for a star-caliber swing on the trade market have been disappointed.

Ah, but there is time. And the estimable Jacob Rude of the SB Nation site, “Silver Screen and Roll,” sees some potential deals that could yet bolster the Lakers. One is particularly interesting: Bringing back top 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is now with his fourth team (Memphis) since the Lakers traded him in the disastrous Russell Westbrook deal four years ago.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Trade Would Be Welcome

Rude proposes trading away Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber to bring back KCP to the Lakers, a sentimental move, given that he never should have been forced to leave in the first place. Caldwell-Pope was a big factor in the Lakers winning the 2020 NBA “Bubble” championship during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He writes: “Lakers fans have seen how well KCP plays next to stars firsthand. Even if his game has dropped off, he’s still a 3&D wing and you can never have too many of those. It’s a far more useful way for the Lakers to spend their money than on Vincent and Kleber.

“With KCP having a player option for next season, the Lakers could save the Grizzlies some long-term money by sending them two expiring contracts. Gabe Vincent is a lot more expendable with the arrival of Marcus Smart while Maxi Kleber is the third center on the roster.”

Lakers Likely Done Trading (For Now)

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. 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.

‘They have not been attacking the trade market by any stretch of the imagination,” one Western Conference executive said. “Most teams now are in a sort-of wait-and-see mode, and I would include the Lakers in that. They want to give it some time before they make a trade.”

Vincent averaged only 6.4 points per game last season, but the Lakers like him as a reliable veteran off the bench, with just one year at $11.5 million remaining on his contract. With the addition of Marcus Smart, though, Vincent could be more expendable as the year goes on.

Vanderbilt has shown flashes, but he has not been able to stay on the floor–he has played only 91 games in two-plus seasons with the Lakers.