Lakers' roster still missing a proven power forward — 3 in-season trades can fix it
The Lakers made a litany of offseason moves, per fansided.com, revamping the roster after losing LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton, and Jaxson Hayes.
In their place came Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Cameron Carr, Matisse Thybulle, Zaire Williams, Kevon Looney, and Jaden Hardy.
Despite the overhaul, fansided.com states the roster is still missing a proven option at power forward — one who can defend on the perimeter, provide secondary rim protection, and hold their own offensively.
This probably isn't going to change before the start of the season, the article notes. But as the 2022-23 season showed, there is always an opportunity to use the regular season to acquire the pieces you need for a deep postseason run.
The piece then proposes three in-season trades to complete the team. Whether the Lakers will actually make any such deal — before the season or during it — has not been confirmed.
REUNITING WITH AN OLD FRIEND
The first trade scenario in the fansided.com piece is a reunification: Luka Dončić with P.J. Washington, the forward who was by his side during his last deep playoff run.
In the FanSpo hypothetical, the Lakers would acquire Washington from the Dallas Mavericks and Jericho Sims from the Milwaukee Bucks as the third team in the deal. The Mavericks would receive Jarred Vanderbilt, Kevin Porter Jr., a first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks. Jake LaRavia would go to the Bucks to make the money work.
Washington is described as exactly who the Lakers need to round out their starting five alongside Dončić, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, and Quentin Grimes. He already has built-in chemistry with the team's best player from their time together in Dallas.
The article notes the Mavericks have a logjam in the frontcourt and are expected to want to move the veteran to give their younger players more minutes. If the Mavericks and Bucks are game, the piece calls the deal a no-brainer.
That interest, however, has not been confirmed. Whether either front office would actually engage on this framework remains speculation from the article's trade proposal.
THE STAR STOPPER
The second trade target in the fansided.com piece is Herbert Jones, described as one of the most complete defensive wings in the game.
The article notes it has been a long time since Jones has been part of a good team, so many fans may have forgotten how much he contributes to winning. Jones is characterized as the kind of role player you want on a winning team.
The source does not provide specific trade details for this scenario in the provided material. The specific trade package for Herbert Jones is not confirmed, and the source does not list it.
WHY IT MATTERS
Every season in Los Angeles is championship or bust, per fansided.com. That is the standard the Lakers carry, and the article makes clear the front office knows it. The pressure does not drop just because the roster looks different.
In the aggregate, the Lakers are a better team than they were last season after the offseason overhaul, the article states. Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, and the rest of the new arrivals represent an upgrade. But better on paper is not the same as complete.
What is still missing is a proven option at power forward, one who can defend on the perimeter, provide secondary rim protection, and hold his own offensively. That is a specific profile, and the current roster does not have it. It is the difference between a contender and a team with a hole opponents can exploit.
The article points to 2022-23 as the template. That season showed there is always an opportunity to use the regular season to acquire the pieces you need for a deep postseason run. The moves do not have to happen before opening night. They just have to happen before the games that matter most.
The trades floated in the piece are framed as ways to complete the roster before the playoffs. Each target is designed to fit alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Kessler, and Grimes. That fit matters more than raw talent. The Lakers need a player who complements what is already in place, not another star fighting for touches.
It is not confirmed that any trade will actually happen, nor is it confirmed that the Lakers will even make the playoffs. The regular season has to be played first. But the argument is simple: the pieces are close, and the right power forward could be the final one.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The article’s timeline is clear on one point: these moves are meant for the regular season, not opening night. Fansided.com lays out three trade scenarios — P.J. Washington (with Jericho Sims), Herbert Jones, and a third trade that is not detailed in the provided source material.
What is not confirmed is any specific trade date, the identity of that third scenario, or that the Lakers will make any move at all. No official announcements have been made. The piece frames the trades as opportunities to complete the roster before the playoffs, not as guarantees.
The 2022-23 season is the stated template. That year showed the front office could wait and still add the right pieces for a deep run. The Lakers are expected to use that same window, watching the standings and the trade market as the calendar turns.
Fans should watch the front office as the season progresses. The article implies Washington could round out the starting five alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, and Quentin Grimes, but that fit is hypothetical. It has not been confirmed by the team.
The practical answer to when the Lakers address the power forward need: during the season, likely before the games that matter most. But the source does not specify a timeline beyond that. The moves are proposed, not promised.
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