Lakers, Rob Pelinka, JJ Redick, Lakers trade
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General Manager Rob Pelinka and Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers speak with media during a press conference at UCLA Health Training Center on September 25, 2025 in El Segundo, California.
As the Los Angeles Lakers scour the market for a 3-and-D wing ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, a new name has entered the mix.
Per Fobes’ Evan Sidery, Isaac Okoro has emerged as a Lakers trade target, with the Rob Pelinka-led front office reaching out to the Chicago Bulls to discuss a potential deal.
“The Lakers have checked in with the Bulls during trade season on Isaac Okoro,” Sidery reported on Dec. 12.
“After being traded from the Cavaliers for Lonzo Ball, Okoro has started every game for Chicago. Okoro’s $11 million salary can be matched with one of LA’s expirings + Dalton Knecht as a sweetener.”
Evan Sidery
The Lakers have checked in with the Bulls during trade season on Isaac Okoro.
After being traded from the Cavaliers for Lonzo Ball, Okoro has started every game for Chicago.
Okoro’s $11 million salary can be matched with one of LA’s expirings + Dalton Knecht as a sweetener.
Lakers Trade Target: Isaac Okoro
Okoro is averaging 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his first season with the Bulls, while making 1.0 three per game at 32.6%. While those numbers don’t jump off the screen, Okoro, with his 6-foot-9 wingspan, tracks as a solid perimeter defender with the ability to guard multiple positions.
This season, he has held MVP candidates Cade Cunningham (2-of-10 FG) to 20%, Giannis Antetokounmpo (5-of-12 FG) to 41.7% and Jaylen Brown to 37.5% (3-of-8 FG) shooting as the primary defender across various Bulls games. He’s also done a number on ex-All-Stars such as Darius Garland (4-of-10 FG) and Klay Thompson (1-of-6 FG).
Lakers Likely to Make ‘Small Move’
A move for a player such as Okoro makes perfect sense for the Lakers, who are reportedly hesitant to part with their only tradeable first-round pick (2031 or 2032) unless they can land the more coveted Herbert Jones or Trey Murphy III. However, since neither of the New Orleans Pelicans wings is said to be available, the Lakers could make a “very small move” using the expiring contracts of Gabe Vincent ($11.5M) or Maxi Kleber ($11M) to make a move around the edges, per ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.
“It is very reasonable to believe that the Lakers will make a very small move at the trade deadline using the contract of either Gabe Vincent or Maxi Kleber before operating with an abundance of cap space in the offseason to shape their roster however they’d like,” Siegel reported on Dec. 12.
The Lakers were previously expected to aggressively shop the expiring contracts of Vincent, Kleber and Rui Hachimura ($18.2M) and a first-round draft pick with hopes of landing a more marquee name. However, Hachimura has a limited market, per Siegel.
“Another problem the Lakers have is that there isn’t a market for virtually any of their players, including Rui Hachimura on an expiring $18.2 million contract. With limited options out there, the only way to move some of their contracts, both expiring and non-expiring, would be attaching draft picks, which Los Angeles doesn’t have many of.”
Okoro has one season remaining on the three-year, $33M deal he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year. His budget-friendly deal makes it possible for the Lakers to maintain their cap flexibility for 2026 and 2027, when they reportedly have ambitious plans to pursue a superstar to pair with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.