3 Players the Los Angeles Lakers Could Target in a Trade During 2025-26 NBA Season

By making these moves, the Lakers were able to upgrade their roster to try and compete for a top seed in the West this season, though they do still have some key holes in their roster.

Because of this, they may elect to make more moves ahead of the trade deadline and if that is the case, they could target these three players.

Andrew Wiggins

It has been reported that the Lakers have shown interest in Andrew Wiggins over the past few weeks and if the Miami Heat do decide to move him, expect Los Angeles to be a team involved in trade talks.

The 30-year-old forward would give the Lakers another reliable scorer and defender in their starting lineup next to James and Doncic and he also has championship experience from his time with the Golden State Warriors.

Due to this, Los Angeles may view Wiggins as a player who could help them compete for a title this season, though the Heat would likely want a large trade package in return.

Nick Richards

Nick Richards has been linked to the Lakers for most of the offseason, especially after the Phoenix Suns added both Mark Williams and Khaman Maluach to their frontcourt this summer.

Due to this, the 27-year-old center has slid down Phoenix’s depth chart which could cause them to look to move him ahead of the trade deadline.

With the Lakers needing frontcourt depth, acquiring Richards would be a solid move for them as he would give them a reliable inside scorer, defender and rebounder who would likely come off the bench behind Ayton.

Malik Monk

The Lakers could look to add another key scorer off their bench this season and if that is the case, Malik Monk could be an option.

Of course, it was reported earlier this offseason that the Sacramento Kings were trying to move Monk, though they did not receive much interest from him.

That may change ahead of the trade deadline and the Lakers could get involved as the veteran guard would give them a great scorer off the bench to bolster their second unit.

While the Lakers could target these players, it is likely that they will also look elsewhere around the league to try and upgrade their roster as they try to make a run a championship with James and Doncic leading the way.