Every Lakers Player Who Became Trade Eligible on December 15th

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Dec 17, 2024 11:19 AM ET

The NBA's unofficial start to trade season is here, with December 15 marking the date when players who signed as free agents this offseason become eligible to be dealt. For the Lakers, who largely ran back last season's roster, the implications are more limited than most teams.

Only a small handful of Lakers had trade restrictions heading into Sunday. Rookies Bronny James and Dalton Knecht are now trade-eligible, though neither seems likely to move. Knecht has emerged as another draft success for the Lakers, providing crucial value on a rookie deal for a cap-strapped team. As for Bronny, any trade scenario would likely need to include LeBron - an unlikely proposition.

Max Christie will have to wait until January 15 to become trade-eligible due to specific contract criteria. As HoopsRumors explains , this applies to players who re-signed with their previous team, received a 20% raise above the minimum, and were signed using Bird rights while their team was over the cap. Given the high praise Christie has received from both head coach JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka, a trade seems improbable anyway.

Although the internet is abuzz with LeBron trade rumors, LeBron James remains the one completely untouchable piece, having secured a no-trade clause in his new deal. He joins Bradley Beal as the league's only players with this protection - a savvy move following the Warriors' trade inquiries last season.

With most of their roster already eligible for deals and their major pieces likely staying put, any significant moves may have to wait until closer to February's trade deadline. And as long as LeBron holds his no-trade protection, the most dramatic trade scenarios will remain just that - speculation.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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