Don’t expect the Lakers to make a trade soon

Even though the Lakers are reportedly interested in Jonas Valančiūnas and Walker Kessler, it doesn’t sound like the team is going to make any trades in the immediate future.

Dating back to July, JJ Redick has discussed adding a center to this Lakers roster.

Since those comments, the only big who has joined is Christian Koloko on a two-way contract. And while he’s been fine in a couple of shifts, that’s certainly not the kind of upgrade Redick was talking about when he said the team wanted a “bruising” center.

There have already been rumblings that the Lakers are interested in Jonas Valančiūnas and Brook Lopez as trade targets. According to Dan Woike of the LA Times in his newsletter published on Thursday, the organization is actively talking to other teams around the league in search of that center they desperately need.

“According to executives around the NBA, the Lakers have had discussions with a number of teams about big men, though nothing seems close to being more than check-ins. A number of teams have been active in trying to poke loose a serviceable big making it a pretty strong seller’s market in the early stages of this year.”

Early in the NBA season, it’s no surprise it’s a seller’s market. I mean, if before NBA Cup action takes place, you are already wheeling and dealing, then something is wrong with the construction of your team.

For whatever reason or excuse vice president of basketball operations Rob Pleinka wants to give, the Lakers could’ve done this in the offseason but didn’t. Now, the Lakers are among the first teams to pick up the phone. However, don’t take that as a sign that a deal will come anytime soon.

This isn’t the first time the Lakers have started a season with a trade needing to happen. Back in the 2022-23 season, everyone knew the Lakers wanted to move Russell Westbrook, but even with that being the case, Pelinka waited until February to make a deal.

The wait was agonizing, but it paid off with the Lakers acquiring D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt and going on an impressive playoff run that ended with a trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Now, the need is more about adding a center and not moving a particular player. It appears no stone will be left unturned as Woike mentions bigs like Valanciunas, Walker Kessler and Robert Williams III being of interest to the Lakers.

The team had a lot of interest in Jonas Valanciunas, who ultimately signed with Washington in free agency. He’ll probably be a trade target closer to the deadline. Their interest, according to people familiar with the situation, in Utah big Walker Kessler is also sincere. Robert Williams III is three games into his comeback after missing most of the last two seasons with injuries and would fit the Lakers’ needs. But internally, there are questions being asked by Lakers executives if using draft capital on a back-up big man is wise.

One, it would certainly limit the availability of other options that could shake free between now and the trade deadline in February. And two, how does whomever the Lakers acquire address one of their biggest issues: transition defense. A certain type of center might not make a real difference there. Universally, it’s believed that it’s too early to make a trade reacting to Hayes’ ankle sprain. And in the short term, the team is going to try to make do with Christian Koloko and smaller lineups where Rui Hachimura and LeBron James play some center behind Davis.

It seems the Lakers will have to ask themselves a question that has surrounded many of their trade scenarios over the last couple of seasons: "Is giving up a first-rounder for this player worth it?”

Valančiūnas is that bruising center who averages 12.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Wizards. Would adding him but giving up draft capital push the Lakers closer to the “sustainable Lakers excellence” Pelinka said is needed to make such a trade?

What about a young center like Utah’s Walker Kessler? He’s averaging 9.2 points and 10.7 rebounds and has tremendous upside playing in just his third NBA season. Perhaps the Lakers look at him as essentially a draft pick himself, given that he’s 23 years old, the same age as Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht.

Williams III is closer to being a veteran, especially given that he’s in his seventh season and playing on a struggling Portland Trail Blazers team, but could he raise the Lakers’ ceiling?

He’s averaging 12 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks but has only played in nine games the last two seasons.

Last season, the Lakers stood pat during the trade deadline, so who knows if this season will show lots of changes like we saw in 2022-23 or if it’ll be more bark than bite like 2023-24?

In any event, it’s early on in this process and no one seems to be in a rush, so Lakers fans will have to practice patience and see how this plays out.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.