Jonathan Kuminga snubbed the purple and gold for the Wolves, and now the Lakers are scrambling, staring down a gaping hole in their starting lineup. With only about a month left before training camp opens, the clock is seriously ticking if this team wants to make a move. The market is looking pretty dry, folks, and the options they are reportedly eyeing are, well, *something*.
The Lakers’ Past Disinterest Is Coming Back To Haunt Them
First up, P.J. Washington. You know it’s bad when you’re looking at a player the Lakers have “repeatedly said they have no interest in.” That’s the vibe right now. A lot of us thought Washington was a solid answer for that starting spot after the Lakers’ free agency spending spree, but then multiple reports dropped, making it clear LA wasn’t keen because of his contract. Was that just a negotiating tactic, or a real feeling? Who knows. But the situation has clearly changed, so could they actually revisit things with Dallas? It feels like they have to.
Then there’s De’Andre Hunter, another name that was hot around the trade deadline. The Lakers actually discussed a trade for him that involved Dalton Knecht, before the Kings pulled a Kings move and traded for Knecht themselves. Now Sacramento is stuck with another year of irrelevance, and Hunter is sitting there as an expiring contract. Look, he’s a flawed player, no doubt. He’s not gonna fix all of the Lakers’ issues, but honestly, who would at this point in the offseason? As a one-year rental, LA could absolutely do worse. Plus, the Kings are one of the few teams without a full 15 players, which makes a 2-for-1 trade a real possibility.
From “Serviceable” to “Last Resort”
The options fall off a cliff pretty quickly, which is how we get to someone like Saddiq Bey. He’s a perfectly serviceable player, sure, but he’s not solving any deep problems. His game leans way more offense than defense, just like most of the roster. Last season, he put up 17.7 points per game with the Pelicans and shot 36.7% from three. New Orleans just signed Bennedict Mathurin to an offer sheet too, and with Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Jeremiah Fears, they have a ton of guards and wings they’re probably more invested in. The real play here might be a bigger trade since the Lakers have also been linked to Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic in the past. It’s optimistic, but the idea of solving multiple issues in one swoop is definitely enticing.
Now, buckle up, because we’re entering the wild card zone with Ben Simmons. This is super unlikely for a bunch of reasons, but he is apparently the most attainable option if you’re looking at this list. This whole thing just screams “last resort.” Two seasons ago, Simmons was a shell of his former self, and he spent all of last year doing more fishing than playing basketball. Bringing him in would be a massive gamble, but when you’re this close to training camp with a starter’s spot open, you start looking at everything.
The clock is ticking for the Lakers. With training camp just weeks away, they’ve got to make a move soon. This isn’t just about filling a spot; it’s about whether they can find someone who doesn’t just plug a hole but actually makes them better. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long season right out of the gate.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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