Rob Pelinka
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Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka during a press conference in June 2024
The Los Angeles Lakers have long been expected to pursue a 3-and-D wing upgrade ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.
Multiple reports have indicated that general manager Rob Pelinka has been canvassing the market for a young, dependable wing who can slot cleanly alongside the team’s core.
A wide range of names have circulated in recent weeks, including Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Jonathan Kuminga, Miles Bridges, and Andrew Wiggins.
However, two of the Lakers’ top targets came off the board over the weekend.
Lakers Lose Key Targets, Turn Attention Elsewhere
On Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that De’Andre Hunter had been traded to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal that also included the Chicago Bulls, sending Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis to Cleveland.
Both Hunter and Ellis were believed to be high on Pelinka’s list of targets, and their sudden availability disappearing at the same time has forced the Lakers to pivot.
As the front office recalibrates its approach, another name has begun to surface more prominently in trade discussions.
According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Lakers are among several teams monitoring New Orleans Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, though competition could be stiff.
“The Knicks, Lakers and Suns are among the teams to recently inquire with the Pelicans on Saddiq Bey,” Sidery reported. “Over the past month, Bey is averaging 21.2 points, 6 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 44.4% on threes. Bey is generating strong trade interest during his hot stretch.”
Bey, 26, has quietly put together a strong season in New Orleans after missing the entire 2024-25 campaign with an ACL tear.
Through 43 games, he is averaging 16.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 44.6% from the field and 34.1% from three-point range.
Lakers Weigh Fit, Finances, and Flexibility
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto has also reported Lakers interest in Bey, hinting that New Orleans may be open to testing the market following his strong January stretch.
At 6-foot-8, Bey fits the profile Los Angeles has been seeking. He provides size on the wing, spacing as a capable perimeter shooter, and the defensive versatility to hold up across multiple matchups.
Bey is in the second year of a three-year, $19 million contract, earning $6.1 million this season with his salary rising slightly to $6.4 million in 2026-27.
Any deal, however, would have to work around the Lakers’ limited flexibility. Los Angeles is believed to be actively shopping its expiring contracts, which collectively account for more than $40 million in salary.
“The Lakers have dangled the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura ($18.26 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million), and Maxi Kleber ($11 million) on the trade market, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported.
Even so, multiple reports suggest those expiring deals have drawn limited interest. The Golden State Warriors, for instance, have reportedly rebuffed any approach involving Jonathan Kuminga, viewing the Lakers’ offers as lacking value.
What New Orleans would ultimately seek in return for Bey remains unclear, but the Lakers currently control just one tradable first-round pick, a reality that tightens their margin for error if they hope to address multiple needs.
To counter that, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin has reported that Los Angeles is exploring the possibility of trading either its 2031 or 2032 first-round pick for multiple future selections.
Such a move would restore access to additional first-rounders and significantly widen the range of trade constructions available, both before the deadline and beyond it.