Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are widely expected to operate as buyers as the February 5 trade deadline approaches.
Upgrading the wing has long been viewed as the top priority, with a broad list of names linked to Los Angeles in recent weeks, including Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Keon Ellis, Jonathan Kuminga, Miles Bridges, DeAndre Hunter, Andrew Wiggins, and Saddiq Bey.
At the same time, the Lakers’ focus is not limited to the perimeter.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, general manager Rob Pelinka is also canvassing the market for frontcourt upgrades, with rim protection emerging as an increasingly pressing need.
Lakers Eye Potential Frontcourt Help in Philadelphia
Several centers have already been mentioned as possible targets, including Nic Claxton, Yves Missi, and Nick Richards.
Now, another familiar name may be coming into focus as a potential option.
Philadelphia 76ers insider Keith Pompey recently reported that the Sixers are “willing to part ways” with center Andre Drummond.
Pompey added that wing Kelly Oubre Jr. could also be available, positioning Philadelphia as a potential trade partner for teams seeking short-term flexibility.
Lake Show Life’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk believes the 76ers could offer the Lakers a rare opportunity to address multiple needs at once, also naming Quentin Grimes as a player worth targeting.
“Hitting two birds with one stone would be a dream for the Los Angeles Lakers when it comes to filling trade needs ahead of the looming Feb. 5 deadline,” Rovenchuk wrote. “Few teams would allow them to attempt that more seamlessly than the Philadelphia 76ers.”
“Quentin Grimes, Andre Drummond, and Kelly Oubre Jr. — getting your hands on at least two of the three before the trade deadline would be a dream for the Lakers.”
“Oubre’s switchability and relentlessness defensively would offer a rare opportunity for a real two-way boost on a scarce 3-and-D market ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline. It would be a sneaky-good win for the Lakers. Drummond could be a good boost to the frontcourt too.”
Lakers Weigh Flexibility, Contracts, and Center Questions
From a contractual standpoint, the trio fits neatly into Los Angeles’ deadline ambitions.
Oubre Jr. is in the final year of a two-year, $16.3 million contract, earning $8.3 million this season while averaging 14.0 points per game on a career-high 36.5% shooting from three-point range.
Drummond is also on an expiring deal, in the final year of a two-year, $10 million contract that pays him $5 million this season. Grimes, meanwhile, is nearing the end of a one-year, $8.7 million contract.
The renewed interest in alternative center options comes amid ongoing questions surrounding DeAndre Ayton.
NBA insider Jake Fischer has previously reported that the Lakers do not view the 27-year-old as their “long-term answer at center,” a sentiment that has only grown louder in recent weeks.
Ayton did respond with a statement performance on Friday night in a 142-111 win over the Washington Wizards, finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds, five offensive boards, and three blocks on 12-of-14 shooting.
Still, one standout outing is unlikely to resolve broader concerns. It would likely take a sustained stretch of consistency for the Lakers to feel confident in his ability to anchor a team with legitimate postseason ambitions.
The Lakers hold more than $40 million in expiring contracts through Rui Hachimura ($18.2 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million), and Maxi Kleber ($11 million), giving Pelinka ample salary-matching flexibility.
The Lakers currently control only one tradable first-round pick, though ESPN’s Dave McMenamin has reported that the team is exploring ways to trade either its 2031 or 2032 first-rounder in exchange for multiple future selections.
If that strategy proves successful, it would allow Los Angeles to unlock additional first-round assets and regain access to its own future picks.
In turn, it would significantly expand the range of trade constructions available both before the deadline and beyond it, whether in pursuit of the Philadelphia trio or other targets across the market.