As the 2026 NBA trade deadline approaches, the Los Angeles Lakers face uncertainty about their contending potential. With Luka Dončić leading the team after one year, analysts suggest holding off on moves to preserve assets for a more promising offseason. The team's mixed performance highlights defensive flaws and the need for long-term stability around young stars.
The Los Angeles Lakers have played 46 games in the 2026 season, sitting 10 games above .500, a solid mark overshadowed by allowing 29 more points than they have scored. Their top trio—Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James—has shared the court for just 140 minutes, during which they have been outscored by 24 points. This limited sample suggests potential growth at full strength but also reveals persistent issues, including a lack of a suitable starting center.
One year into the Dončić era, the Lakers' defense struggles, permitting opponents to shoot 72.1% in the restricted area—worse than all but the Sacramento Kings. Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes have anchored a vulnerable frontcourt, while perimeter defense has weakened without last year's key contributors. Marcus Smart remains the team's only consistent positive defender. Offensively, the Lakers boast the highest two-point field-goal percentage in NBA history and lead the league in free-throw rate, yet rank eighth overall due to infrequent three-point attempts, poor rebounding, and excessive turnovers.
Historically, under general manager Rob Pelinka, the Lakers evaluate early-season form before trading. They stood pat in 2022 and 2024 but acted in 2023 after strong showings from James and Anthony Davis, reaching the Western Conference finals and later acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith, paving the way for the Dončić trade. This season offers clarity on Reaves as a reliable secondary scorer—he was All-Star bound before injury—and confirms Ayton is not a long-term starter at center.
Despite a playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last spring, the Western Conference appears more accessible with injuries sidelining teams like Houston (without Steven Adams), Denver, and Oklahoma City. Still, the Lakers can generate substantial cap space this offseason, with tradable first-round picks rising from one to three. Building continuity around Dončić and Reaves, both in their 20s, is prioritized over short-term fixes.
Available deadline targets like Herb Jones or Walker Kessler seem unattainable, while links to De'Andre Hunter raise concerns about his declining performance and the $22 million cap hit that could derail summer plans. Better options, such as wing free agents Keon Ellis, Quentin Grimes, Ayo Dosunmu, or Peyton Watson, and centers like Mitchell Robinson, await in the offseason. New majority owner Mark Walter's overhaul, including firing the scouting staff, adds pressure on Pelinka amid roster expirations and James's career twilight. Emulating the 2024 Mavericks' Finals run—fueled by Dončić and a supporting cast—requires patience for a sustainable future.
