Lakers, Lakers trade, Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks, NBA trade deadline
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Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick walks on the court during a timeout with his team down by 12 points against the LA Clippers at the Intuit Dome on January 22, 2026 in Inglewood, California.
The Los Angeles Lakers may have jeopardized any and all chances of doing business with the Dallas Mavericks after acquiring their longtime franchise star, Luka Doncic, at last year’s NBA trade deadline. According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the Mavs have no interest in discussing potential deals for Naji Marshall or Daniel Gafford, two reported Lakers trade targets, ahead of Thursday’s deadline.
“Naji Marshall has also generated interest around the Lakers, though the pathways to any deal with the Dallas Mavericks after the Luka Doncic trade last season have gigantic ‘road closed’ signs all over them,” Woike reported on Wednesday.
“The same is probably true for Daniel Gafford.”
Marshall is averaging a career-high 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists in his second season with the Mavericks. He’s also logging a career-high 29.3 minutes, receiving a lot of opportunities on an injury-ravaged Mavericks roster.
Lakers Trade Target: Naji Marshall
Woike’s report added that besides Marshall, the Lakers have been linked to “virtually every defensive wing on the market,” including New Orleans Pelicans’ Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III, the Golden State Warriors‘ Jonathan Kuminga, the LA Clippers’ Derrick Jones Jr. and the Chicago Bulls’ Isaac Okoro.
The Lakers, extremely cautious about preserving cap space for 2027, are reportedly hesitant to take on the contracts of Jones Jr. and Okoro. Similarly, a trade for De’Andre Hunter, who landed with the Sacramento Kings, fell through because the Lakers were trying to keep their books clear for 2027, per Woike.
“To date, the Lakers have shown significant reluctance to eat into that [2027] space,” Woike wrote.
Lakers Chasing ‘Bargain Moves’
“League sources said, for example, that the Lakers’ preliminary interest in De’Andre Hunter centered on whether Jarred Vanderbilt could be included in a deal, because Vanderbilt is owed $12.4 million next season and has a $13.2 million player option in 2027.
“Acquiring Hunter strictly for expiring contracts would have cost nearly $25 million in future flexibility.”
Woike’s report added that the Lakers are “active” ahead of the trade deadline, but not expected to make a significant move to help Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaes.
“No one internally is writing off the possibility that the Lakers will look different after Thursday’s trade deadline. Rival teams still describe them as “active.” But the reality is their lack of draft assets, players with trade value and focus on the summer could mean meaningful changes are more likely to come later rather than now.”
The Lakers’ reluctance to take on long-term contracts, along with their lack of draft picks, is why they’re expected to have a relatively quiet NBA trade deadline. The Rob Pelinka-led front office has reportedly chased “bargain moves” using the expiring deals of Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber, along with Dalton Knecht as a sweetener. Unfortunately for the Lakers, none of those players has piqued any interest, according to the LA Times’ Broderick Turner.
“So, the Lakers still have time to do a deal, but people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter say teams have little interest in guards Gabe Vincent and Dalton Knecht, the two most prominent players the Lakers seem to be pushing.”