Dating to the middle of last season, the Los Angeles Lakers have tried to use their limited tradable assets to improve their roster and maximize whatever is left of LeBron James’ productive years.
Perhaps their most valuable assets are their first-round draft picks, but according to NBA rules, they can currently only trade their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks.
It seemed they may have been willing to part with at least one of those picks for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, but a deal never materialized. Other rumored trade targets, such as Bojan Bogdanovic, Buddy Hield and Myles Turner, haven’t interested L.A. enough to get it to give up both picks.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers will not trade those picks unless they yield an All-Star level player.
Woj: “The Lakers are not going to use their 1st round picks unless they can get back an All-Star level player back.” pic.twitter.com/9c7wGSZH2I
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) December 7, 2022
“We know what their assets are the ’27 and the ’29 unprotected first-round picks. They’re not going to use those unless they can get back essentially an All-Star level player,” Wojnarowski said.
Some have felt the Lakers have been too fixated on getting another All-Star or big names to put around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Last offseason, they traded for Russell Westbrook while signing former All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and DeAndre Jordan, only to get disastrous results.
It’s always possible this report is nothing more than posturing on L.A.’s part.