Los Angeles Lakers
IN: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, Davon Reed, Rui Hachimura
OUT: Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Thomas Bryant, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Kendrick Nunn, Damian Jones, 2027 first-round pick
Give credit to the often-maligned Rob Pelinka. The face of the Lakers’ front office hit it out of the proverbial park with these three deals. It was a major coup for the Lakers to hold onto one of their first-round picks. In the process, the team got bigger, longer, much younger, far more athletic, and added much-needed shooting. Additionally, there’s a world where LA now has the cap space to bring back Mamba, Vanderbilt, Beasley, Russell, and Hachimura next year. These young players can remain on the roster as core pieces — or they could in theory be used as trade chips for other players. Without a doubt, the Lakers got much better this week. Assuming Anthony Davis stays healthy, this team has a chance to be a factor in the wide-open Western Conference.
Grade: A
Image Source: USA TODAY Sports
