Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With the NBA trade deadline set for Feb. 5, teams don’t have much time left to make a deal. Currently, every franchise is evaluating whether to stand pat, be buyers or be sellers during this trade window.
The Lakers are no different.
With LA battling for a top-four seed in the Western Conference, there is plenty to like about the current roster. However, 12 of the Lakers’ losses have been blowouts, and the eye test indicates the gap between them and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder is still quite big.
For this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, we if the Lakers needed to address their shooting or their defense more, and if fans expect the front office to execute a trade before the deadline.
The results are in, and a whopping 89% of fans think defense should be a priority.
Having nearly 90% of Lakers fans picking defense tells you everything you need to know about how much LA has struggled on defense.
The Lakers have a defensive rating of 116.8, which is 23rd in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets are the only team currently in a playoff position with a worse defensive rating and that’s just by decimal points, as Denver sits at 117.
Considering the Lakers aren’t currently missing any defensive specialists, it seems that while marginal improvements can come from within, for LA even to be a mediocre defensive team, they’ll need new players.
While shooting is an issue for the Lakers as they are converting on just 34.2% of their 3-point attempts, the sixth-worst average in the league, LA has shown that they can still score inside the paint and at the free-throw line.
So, the defense is this team’s top priority. That is, if they can even get a deal done.
Lakers fans are currently optimistic that President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka can make a deal happen, as 76% of fans believe a trade will come before the deadline.
It’s no surprise fans expect Pelinka to get something done here. The Lakers front office did plenty of wheeling and dealing last season, trading for Dorian Finney-Smith, Luka Dončić, and even Mark Williams.
However, every season and trade market is different. The Lakers are reportedly looking for a “real needle mover” and want to get younger.
That’s great, but young talent with upside doesn’t run cheap, and with teams like the Pelicans reportedly not dealing their core guys, maybe a deal can’t get done before Feb. 5.
What we do now is that fans want defensive upgrades, and they expect Pelinka to figure out how to make that happen. Now we just have to wait and see if he can get that done.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.