The Los Angeles Lakers have started the season 16-12, but it’s obvious—as it has been for several seasons—that the team could use a better third option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis than it currently has on the roster.
As The Athletic’s Jovan Buha noted during a Lakers Q&A on Sunday, targeting Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine is a possibility, though perhaps not the best option (50:40 mark).
“Certainly possible. I will say they did have some interest in him last year, and ultimately I think that the contract was a little too rich for them,” he said. “He’s making $43.3 million this year, $45.9 million next year—and this has been a running joke from me—in 2026-27 he has a player option for $48.9 million. And I will break that news here that he will be opting in to that $48.9 million player option. … I think anyone they add needs to be average to above-average defensively, if not better. That’s my biggest issue with LaVine.”
Trading for LaVine would be difficult regardless because the team is just under the second apron and can’t take back more money in a trade, as Buha noted, and it would likely take a combination of D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent just to make the money work.
Does adding LaVine at the expense of that depth really improve the Lakers that significantly, if at all?
Likely not, meaning another deal would have to follow.
So it may be possible the Lakers could target LaVine, but it’s more likely they would prefer to use that level of cap space on a player who moves the needle a bit more.
