Rob Pelinka, Lakers
Getty
Rob Pelinka, president and general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, looks on during a press conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ pursuit of perimeter help has hit another obstacle as the NBA trade market continues to shift against them.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, one of the Lakers’ more affordable targets — Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis — has seen his value spike dramatically, pushing him further out of reach for teams hoping to bargain shop ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“League and team sources say the Kings continue to draw serious interest in veteran guard Keon Ellis, with approximately 10 teams in pursuit of the 26-year-old,” Amick wrote. “A deal is almost certain to go down before the Feb. 5 deadline, if not much sooner.”
The Lakers are among the teams that have checked in, but the growing bidding war has complicated what once looked like a viable path to shoring up their perimeter defense.
Keon Ellis’ Rising Price Shrinks Lakers’ Options
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 28: Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on December 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
GettyKeon Ellis of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
Ellis, a 3-and-D guard whose defensive metrics and catch-and-shoot ability have made him attractive across the league, has oddly fallen out of favor with Kings coach Doug Christie, despite Sacramento’s season going nowhere and the new front office’s mandate to forge a defensive identity.
“The strangest part of it all?” Amick added. “Despite Ellis’ three-and-D skill set being so coveted, Kings coach Doug Christie opted against playing Ellis in the past two games.”
That disconnect has not cooled interest. Quite the opposite.
According to Amick, Sacramento is now seeking a late first-round pick in any Ellis deal — a steep ask for a player the Lakers hoped to acquire without dipping into their limited draft capital.
Los Angeles currently has only one first-round pick (either 2031 or 2032) available to trade in-season. The organization has been reluctant to use it now, preferring to preserve flexibility for the offseason, when it could unlock up to three first-rounders alongside an estimated $50 million in cap space.
As Ellis’ market heats up, the Lakers are unlikely to enter a bidding war.
Casting a Wide Net for Wing Defense
Ellis is far from the only name linked to Los Angeles. In recent weeks, the Lakers have been connected to a broad range of wings, including Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, De’Andre Hunter, Miles Bridges, and Andrew Wiggins.
But one name continues to resurface more persistently than the rest: Jonathan Kuminga.
According to Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Lakers remain among several teams monitoring the deteriorating situation between Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors.
“The Sacramento Kings remain the most interested suitor, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls wielding varying degrees of interest in Kuminga,” Gordon reported.
Lakers Seen as ‘Bargain Shopping’ Ahead of Deadline
That interest aligns with how rival executives view Los Angeles’ approach to the deadline.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, one Western Conference general manager described the Lakers as operating with a clear constraint.
“They’re going to be looking for bargain deals,” the GM told ESPN. “They might be able to find one if they’re willing to take on long-term money. But they probably need to make sure that player is a good fit with Luka to justify it.”
Ellis and Kuminga have been viewed internally as potential discount plays — young, athletic wings whose market value might be suppressed by circumstance. But that calculus is changing.
Ellis’ price is rising. And Kuminga’s situation remains tangled.
Warriors’ Stance Complicates Kuminga Path
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Golden State has been clear about what it will — and will not — accept in a Kuminga deal.
“Golden State has made it very clear they have no interest in Malik Monk,” Fischer said on Bleacher Report’s NBA Insider Notebook. “And I don’t think the Warriors want to move Kuminga for some combination of Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber.”
While the Lakers have checked in on Kuminga multiple times — including over the summer — Fischer reported that Golden State has not been receptive to the packages Los Angeles can currently offer.
“The Lakers are continuing to look at all options on the 3-and-D wing market right now, and they’re not finding many,” Fischer said. “So, of course, Kuminga is on their list. But for either team to get him, they’re going to need to find some type of three-team arrangement.”
Deadline Pressure Mounts for Lakers’ Front Office
With Ellis’ market inflating and Kuminga’s path narrowing, the Lakers’ margin for error continues to shrink. The need is clear: perimeter defense, shooting, and versatility. The solutions, however, are becoming increasingly expensive — financially and strategically.
As the deadline approaches, Los Angeles faces a familiar dilemma: push chips in now for incremental help, or wait for a bigger swing in the offseason. Either way, the search for a reliable 3-and-D wing is proving harder — and costlier — than anticipated.