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Lakers head coach JJ Redick, right, listens as Rob Pelinka, President of Basketball Operations and General Manager, answers a question about the upcoming Lakers 2025-26 season at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo on September 25, 2025.
The Lakers’ trade deadline approach is crystallizing as the front office continues to explore options for a significant upgrade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, according to an NBA insider.
Even with the Los Angeles Lakers tied for fourth place in the Western Conference, the franchise is far from standing pat as the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline approaches.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Lakers are actively searching for a two-way wing with size to stabilize a perimeter defense that currently ranks 24th in the league — a weakness the front office believes could limit the team’s postseason ceiling.
“League sources say that the Lakers continue to scour the trade market in hopes of acquiring a two-way wing with size before the Feb. 5 trade deadline,” Stein wrote in his Substack newsletter, The Stein Line.
The report surfaced shortly after the Lakers’ 128–121 win Friday night, the opener of a home-and-home set against the shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies, which marked only their second victory in six games — a stretch that has tested both the roster and head coach JJ Redick’s patience.
Gabe Vincent Nears Return as Lakers Seek Internal Boost
Gabe Vincent
GettyGabe Vincent of the Los Angeles Lakers is nearing his return from a back injury.
While external upgrades remain elusive, the Lakers are preparing for a potential internal lift with Gabe Vincent nearing his return from a lingering lower-back injury.
“He’s hoping to practice tomorrow, will be modified [on the injury report],” Redick said before Friday’s win, via ClutchPoints’ David Yapkowitz. “We’re hoping he’s available for one of the games on the road trip. But again, we’ve got to get exposure to live play.”
Vincent will miss Sunday’s rematch but could return during the upcoming back-to-back against New Orleans and San Antonio — though Redick indicated he may only play in one of those games to ease his transition.
Vincent, 29, has not played since Dec. 14, when he logged 19 minutes in a win over Phoenix. Before his injury, he averaged 21.5 minutes per game, started six contests — including during Luka Dončić’s early-season absence — and frequently closed games due to his defensive reliability.
As a primary defender, Vincent held Anthony Edwards (40%), Klay Thompson (33%), and Keyonte George (33%) below their shooting averages. He also hit 1.2 three-pointers per game at 37%, giving the Lakers a rare blend of defense and spacing.
Injuries Force Redick to Rework Rotations
With Austin Reaves sidelined for at least a month due to a grade-2 calf strain and Rui Hachimura recently returning, Redick has been forced into constant lineup shuffling.
The Lakers recently started Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart to cover gaps, but Vincent’s return could allow Redick to stabilize his rotations — and potentially push Smart back into a second-unit role better suited to his skill set.
The instability has been less about talent and more about continuity.
A Brutal Road Stretch Looms Before the Deadline
The urgency surrounding roster upgrades is magnified by the Lakers’ upcoming schedule.
They will play 10 of their next 15 games on the road, including an eight-game road trip from Jan. 20 to Feb. 2 with stops in Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York.
Before that, they face difficult road matchups against the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs, the surging New Orleans Pelicans, and a physical Portland Trail Blazers squad.
For a team already searching for defensive stability, the timing is unforgiving.
Why the Lakers Are Still Searching
The Lakers are winning — but they are winning imperfectly.
They are competitive in the standings, but vulnerable in the matchups that matter most.
And so, despite their position near the top of the West, they remain aggressive behind the scenes.
The evolving Lakers trade deadline approach reflects a team that believes it is close — but not quite complete — as currently constructed.
As Stein’s reporting makes clear, Los Angeles is not just trying to survive this season — it is trying to shape it.
Whether that shape comes via trade, health, or internal growth will define the Lakers’ ceiling far more than their current record suggests.