The Big Lead

What the Lakers need in return to trade their first-round picks

By Joe Lago

Jul 2, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka at a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jul 2, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka at a press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Rob Pelinka has set the bar for what the Los Angeles Lakers need in return if they decide to trade any of their first-round picks to upgrade the roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

It's a prerequisite — created by the Lakers vice president of basketball operations with new head coach JJ Redick — that focuses more on the future than the present.

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"I think the philosophy that JJ and I are aligned on is that we want to build sustainable Lakers excellence," Pelinka said Wednesday. "I think when you talk about moves, you can make a move that backfires. I think every GM has made a trade that they say, 'Ah, maybe that one wasn't ideal.' But every lens that we look through has to lead to sustainable Laker excellence.

"... Yes, we would do a trade with both picks if that would lead to sustainable Lakers excellence. We would also use one pick to make a marginal upgrade if we felt like it was the right thing to do."

Pelinka said he and his front office staff "looked long and hard" at potential deals this offseason to "increase the overall roster talent," and while he didn't blame the NBA's new "limiting system for trades and moves," he did reveal that there was "less of a supply for opportunities."

The Lakers' biggest roster decisions were the re-signing of LeBron James to a two-year, $104 million extension and the drafting of Tennessee's Dalton Knecht, one of college basketball's best shooters, in the first round. They also selected James' son, Bronny, in the second round.

However, the biggest offseason move was the hiring of Redick, a former sharpshooter who played 15 NBA seasons but has no previous professional head coaching experience. The 40-year-old replaces Darvin Ham, who was fired after L.A. took a step back in 2023-24 with a first-round playoff exit.

Redick revealed Wednesday that he spoke to D'Angelo Russell the most this offseason because he expects big things from the 28-year-old point guard.

"He's going to have a major role on this team," Redick said. "I think the thing that DLo and I have talked about a lot is just like, 'Let's put you in a position to have a career year.' His mindset, his energy, the talk that he's brought, the leadership that he's brought when he's been in the building has been excellent.

"So I'm thrilled, thrilled, to be coaching DLo this season. He's in a great place right now heading into training camp."

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