Ranking the Lakers’ wing targets ahead of the 2026 deadline

in 2026 NBA trade deadline it’s officially less than a month on February 5th, and it’s been no secret that Los Angeles Lakers‘ main aim is to upgrade the team’s point of defense in attack in the form of a winger. During the month of December, the Lakers they were ranked 29th in the league in defensive rating, according to Khoba Price of The California Post.

For the season as a whole, the Lakers are 21st in the league in defensive rating, according to StatMuse. Adding more perimeter defense would certainly help as the Lakers prepare for the second half of the season, but there were always going to be a few issues with making a deal.

First and foremost, the Lakers are limited in terms of available assets. They just don’t have much to acquire true game-changing talent. And to support that, the team is expected to have strong financial flexibility over the next few offseasons, the flexibility to not exactly be banging on the door to opt out.

Second, two potential targets that would definitely move the needle in Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III may not even be attainable. The New Orleans Pelicans haven’t indicated they’re open to a trade for either, and even so, the potential asking price would likely be higher than the Lakers could match.

With that said, there are still a several realistic wing targetsaccording to ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Lakers could reportedly have trade interest leading up to the NBA deadline. Here are some of the top 3&D wing players the Lakers should probably target, assuming Jones and Murphy are out of the equation.

1) The Lakers trade for Keon Ellis

When it comes to players who are likely to be available and what price the Lakers would be willing to match, Ellis tops the list. As the Sacramento Kings seemingly embark on an inevitable rebuild, Ellis is the player they reportedly made available before the trade deadline.

Between two different coaches in Mike Brown and Doug Christie, Ellis was never able to hold down a consistent spot in the rotation. When he did play, he showed the true 3&D ability that makes him attractive trade target for combat teams.

Ellis is fifth on the team in defensive rating at 118.9, according to StatMuse. He is also fourth on the team in 3-point shooting at 35.5 percent. A package from the Lakers probably shouldn’t be much. A direct trade of Ellis for Dalton Knecht works under the cap.

When considering a trade, we have to ask why the opposing team would be willing to do it. Knecht would give the Kings a player who still has potential for their rebuild. If the Lakers need to add draft compensation in the form of a second-round pick, that’s fine, too. Any offer above that is not worth it to the Lakers.

2) Lakers trade for Isaac Okoro

First, there have been no solid indications that the Chicago Bulls are considering a trade. They acquired him in the offseason in a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers that included Lonzo Ball. And he was a regular in the Bulls’ rotation. But Siegel mentions him as a player the Lakers could register trade interest in.

He is less likely to be attainable than Ellis, which is why Ellis is listed as a top priority. But if Okoro is indeed available on the trade market, the Lakers should definitely inquire about him. He is another strong point of attack defender. He also became a reliable 3-point shooter. Although he shot just 33.7 percent from distance this year, he shot 37.1 percent and 39.1 percent over the past two seasons.

As for a potential trade package, it will likely be more than what Ellis would need to be acquired. Okoro was a first round pick and is a productive player. There is also the issue of his contract. Ellis’ contract is expiring. Okoro affects the Lakers’ future financial flexibility because he has two years left on his contract worth about $11 million per season.

He is still a huge upgrade in terms of what the Lakers have on the wings defensively. While he didn’t initially cost the Bulls any draft compensation, don’t assume that’s the case for the Lakers. To match the contracts, Knecht would likely be included in a return to Chicago, and then the expiring contract of either Maxi Kleber or Gabe Vincent would also have to be included.

3) Lakers trade for Haywood Highsmith

The final perimeter trade target Siegel suggests the Lakers could register interest in is Brooklyn Nets wing Haywood Highsmith. Ellis and Okoro should definitely be prioritized over Highsmith. And there’s reason to be cautious as Highsmith hasn’t played a single game this year as he continues to recover from offseason surgery. He suffered a knee injury and there are no concrete deadlines for his return.

Honestly, the Lakers should stay away from Highsmith, because it’s not even a certainty that he’ll be ready to play anytime soon. Which is unfortunate because if he was healthy he could help this team. Highsmith is a good defender who can guard multiple positions. He’s also become a very good 3-point shooter, shooting 38.2 percent and 39.6 percent from distance over the last two seasons, respectively.

If there was a 100 percent certainty that he would be healthy for the second half of the season, then it might be worth the risk. But even so, the Lakers would run into a similar situation as they did with Dorian Finney-Smith last year. Finney-Smith dealt with injury issues after being traded to the Lakers, and was not as effective as he could have been.

But as far as a potential trade package goes, the Lakers shouldn’t be willing to give up much for Highsmith. But because of Highsmith’s contract, there has to be an outgoing salary to match. And all the Lakers would have to give up for him at this point is one of their expiring contracts like Vincent or Kleber, both of whom are working under the cap.