Lakers Weigh Mid-Season Trade for Valanciunas as LeBron’s Wish List Stirs Roster Debate
This summer, the Los Angeles Lakers made several attempts to sign free agents and pursue trades to bolster their roster. Despite their efforts, these pursuits were unsuccessful, leaving the Lakers with a roster largely unchanged from the team that was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Adding to the frustration for fans is the revelation that LeBron James had provided the Lakers’ front office with a list of players he was willing to take a pay cut to acquire. Among these players was free agent big man Jonas Valanciunas. However, the 32-year-old center ultimately signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Washington Wizards.
Despite this setback, the Lakers’ interest in Valanciunas appears to be ongoing. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers are likely to revisit their pursuit of the Lithuanian center in the trade market.
“There was some interest obviously. He was on LeBron’s list, so I think the Lakers will probably revisit that,” Buha stated.
Valanciunas is expected to become available mid-season, as the Wizards are in the midst of a rebuild. Given his offensive style—requiring touches and lacking floor spacing—he doesn’t fit well with a young, developmental team. As a result, he could be acquired by the Lakers for a package involving second-round picks and matching salaries before the trade deadline.
However, the question remains whether the Lakers truly need Valanciunas. While he excels as a rebounder, interior scorer, and physically imposing presence, he doesn’t provide the shooting or defense that Los Angeles desperately needs. Moreover, his fit alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James is far from ideal.
Davis has previously expressed his preference to play more at the power forward position. However, both Davis and the Lakers must recognize that his skill set is best utilized as a center, where he can capitalize on his elite rim protection and compensate for his shooting limitations. Pairing him with a traditional center like Valanciunas might not be the most effective use of the team’s resources.
Nevertheless, if LeBron James is insistent on bringing in Valanciunas, General Manager Rob Pelinka may have no choice but to pursue the trade. The Lakers can’t afford to have an unmotivated LeBron as they aim for another deep postseason run.
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