The Los Angeles Lakers' 2025-26 season came to an end on Monday with a narrow Game 4 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Los Angeles put forth an admirable effort in this one, but it wasn't enough to avoid a second-round sweep.
Now, the Lakers enter an offseason filled with questions, including what the future holds for both LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
Recently, Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Lakers were expected to be “aggressive” this offseason in using upcoming assets, which include a pick in the first round of this year's draft.
With this in mind, there are multiple trade targets that would make sense for the Lakers to pursue.
The biggest name on the trade market is Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has gone through a never-ending cycle of rumors over the last couple of years, with the two sides frequently appearing to be nearing a breakup, then reiterating their commitment to one another.
However, things may reach a breaking point this offseason, with Shams Charania of ESPN recently reporting that the Bucks were taking calls on their franchise cornerstone, and the Lakers should be quick to hit their line.
Acquiring a player like Antetokounmpo would require Los Angeles to part with significant assets, including likely all of their upcoming tradeable draft picks, and enough salary to match. Austin Reaves might not be a tradeable asset if he opts out of his player option and hits free agency.
However, the chance to add a second top-five player might be too good for Rob Pelinka to pass up.
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On a smaller scale, Herb Jones profiles as a player who fills a lot of needs for the Lakers, most notably perimeter defense, which was a problem all season for Los Angeles.
The Lakers have been tied to various Pelicans players, including Jones, in past trade cycles, and it's unclear whether or not New Orleans will be up to dealing him this offseason.
The priority when building around Doncic should be to surround the heliocentric star with as many versatile, floor-spacing wings as possible, and Jones fits that archetype to a tee, and might not require too many assets to get.
The frontcourt was another major issue for the Lakers this year, with Deandre Ayton proving to be inconsistent at best.
Who better to pair Doncic with than Gafford, who were teammates with the Dallas Mavericks during their 2024 run to the NBA Finals? Gafford has struggled with injuries at times throughout his career, but when healthy, he is an excellent offensive rebounder, a serviceable rim protector, and a strong lob threat, all of which are perfect attributes to pair alongside Doncic.
Their chemistry would allow Doncic and Gafford to hit the ground running, although the Mavericks' new regime might not be dying to do business with the Lakers again anytime soon.
The Los Angeles Lakers' 2025-26 season came to an end on Monday with a narrow Game 4 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Los Angeles put forth an admirable effort in this one, but it wasn't enough to avoid a second-round sweep. Now, the Lakers enter an offseason filled with questions, including what the future holds for both LeBron James and Austin Reaves.