The Los Angeles Lakers may not be expected to do too much before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, but does not mean passing up a good opportunity if it presents itself. Nabbing Day'Ron Sharpe from the Brooklyn Nets would certainly qualify as a risk worth taking — for the right price.
On Tuesday night, the Lakers were on the East Coast to play the Brooklyn Nets. They smoked them. It was a one-sided 125-109 beatdown for the Lakers where the final score does not do justice to how much better Los Angeles was in this one.
A lot of Brooklyn players put in underwhelming performances. Sharpe was not one of them. The Nets center posted a monster double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds, including 10 (!!!) on the offensive glass. To boot, Sharpe also had five assists, three steals, and led his team in plus/minus.
It's unclear exactly how much the Nets big man would cost in a trade with the deadline so close. However, if the price point is manageable, there should be little hesitation on Rob Pelinka's part.
Day'Ron Sharpe would fit seamlessly with the Lakers now and moving forward
Sharpe is in the first season of a two-year, $12.5 million contract. 2026-27 is a team option. That is an incredible team-friendly deal for any squad to acquire. It should look even more attractive to a franchise like the Lakers who are still prioritizing flexibility.
In 2025-26, Sharpe has averaged 8.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, shooting 61 percent from the field. More than that, the Nets big has been someone who has constantly improved. That is an encouraging sign about his work ethic that Los Angeles should love.
If the rumors are true, they already do. Dan Woike dropped a round of NBA trade deadline intel with the time ticking down on the Lakers, and Sharpe was indeed mentioned in there.
Woike reported, "Sources inside the Lakers locker room are fans of Brooklyn center Day'Ron Sharpe."
With the large amount of expiring contracts in Los Angeles, there should be a way to make a three-team deal here work. Figuring out who that added franchise in the trade would be is the next step. The Lakers need an organization to truly value the financial freedom they could offer, because it is easily their best selling point to others.
Sharpe feels gettable. After Tuesday night, there may be just a little more added urgency to make that happen.