It is no secret that the Lakers front office is actively involved in what has become a yearly tradition of trying to improve the roster at the trade deadline. Early in the process, the feeling is that Los Angeles will have to give up significant assets to make a substantial acquisition—assets they cannot necessarily afford to give up.
“The thing we have done is just try to stay focused on what we have in the locker room and the job we have to do in order to have success with our group as it currently stands. All of the chatter, this that and the third is getting out of control,” said Darvin Ham before their game against the Bulls.

If the Lakers decide to keep their current roster intact, they will make an impactful addition to their backcourt regardless. Gabe Vincent inked a reported three-year, $33-million-dollar deal with the team this summer after proving his worth during Miami’s 2023 playoff run.
The biggest offseason pickup for Los Angeles has barely seen the court, and his absence has been felt.
The former UC Santa Barbra point guard was expected to fill an important role in the rotation this year. Getting enough productive minutes from their guard unit has been a struggle without him.
Vincent is a three-point and defensive specialist who was slotted to slide perfectly into the starting lineup. His skillset compliments LeBron James and Anthony Davis and is one of the types of players Rob Pelinka would be looking to add to the team via trade.
“You go with what is available to you. Obviously, Gabe has only played five games this season. Different guys being out at different times forces you to have to adjust on the fly,” said Darvin Ham last month after the announcement that Vincent underwent knee surgery and would miss six to eight weeks.
The Lakers can hang with the best the NBA has to offer and are arguably more dangerous come postseason time when defensive intensity increases. The roster has the build of a defensive-minded team.
The only rotation players that the Lakers lost from last year when they went on a run to the Western Conference Finals are Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder, and Lonnie Walker IV, who all filled the role of backcourt depth.

Vincent averaged 12.7 points on 38 percent shooting from three over 22 games in the playoffs for the Heat last year. If Vincent can return to form and build chemistry with the team before the regular season ends, he will be enough to fill the void left by the guards Los Angeles lost.
“People have mixed feelings about the In-Season tournament, but those were some highly contested games,” said Ham. “We can’t play fantasy basketball, but with that said, I have all the confidence and faith in the world that when we are healthy, playing the right way, competing at a high level defensively, and sharing the ball offensively, the sky is the limit. We cannot skip any steps. If we have the opportunity to get better and do not explore it, then that is just being naive.”
It is in the franchise’s best interest to do their due diligence and see what is out there, but that does not mean a trade is imminent. Despite the Lakers’ 23-23 record, no one within the organization is panicking, and they know what they are capable of as a group when they play to their fullest potential.

Benjamin Verbrugge is a reporter for News4usonline who studied journalism at CSU Dominguez Hills. “Sports have brought me much joy throughout my life, and I want to give a little back to something that has meant so much to me.” Email Benjamin at benverbrugge8@gmail.com.
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