As the NBA offseason settles into its quieter mid-July phase, the Los Angeles Lakers are far from finished reshaping their roster. After adding frontcourt depth in Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia, the Lakers are now shifting focus to defensive reinforcements on the wing—and they’re doing so with intention.
Targeting Versatile Defenders
According to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints, the Lakers have engaged in preliminary conversations with teams about the availability and price of three backcourt and wing defenders: Matisse Thybulle, Marcus Smart, and Ayo Dosunmu. While no formal offers have been made, general manager Rob Pelinka is reportedly using Summer League in Las Vegas to quietly advance discussions.
“Rob likes Vegas because he can just pull so-and-so aside and have a conversation that would otherwise take a little planning,” an Eastern Conference executive told ClutchPoints. With league executives gathered to evaluate young talent, it’s become a prime environment for back-channel negotiations.
Who Are the Targets?
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Marcus Smart, the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, brings championship experience and edge. Now with the Washington Wizards, Smart is on the final year of a four-year, $76.5 million contract and could become a buyout candidate. He’s a vocal leader and defensive tone-setter, but some around the league question how much he moves the needle on a team still forming its identity.
Matisse Thybulle, 28, remains one of the NBA’s premier perimeter defenders. Coming off a season with the Portland Trail Blazers in which he averaged 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game, he also shot a career-high 43.8% from beyond the arc. He is entering the final year of a three-year, $33 million deal and could be a seamless fit as a 3-and-D wing.
Ayo Dosunmu, 25, is a rising two-way guard with upside. Though his three-point shooting dipped to 32.8% last season, he averaged 12.3 points and 4.5 assists per game. With two years remaining on his three-year, $21 million deal, Dosunmu offers youth and versatility at an affordable cost.
Strategic Flexibility
The Lakers’ front office appears motivated to act, in part, to appeal to LeBron James. They’re expected to waive Shake Milton by July 20 to access their full $3.9 million bi-annual exception. Meanwhile, the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Maxi Kleber provide trade flexibility—especially as L.A. tries to remain under the first apron and avoid long-term salary commitments before the loaded 2027 free-agent class.
“We’re actively looking for a new defensive player on the perimeter,” reported ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, reinforcing the need for a seasoned wing alongside rookie Adou Thiero, who Pelinka says has “the blueprint of becoming one of those really elite, physical, athletic wings.”
Subtle Moves With Real Implications
This offseason has lacked a blockbuster from the Lakers, but that appears to be by design. Instead, Pelinka has taken a measured approach. Adding Ayton and LaRavia filled clear frontcourt needs. Now, the Lakers are looking for a more traditional small forward to slot alongside LeBron James and Luka Dončić. Rui Hachimura, though talented, has been miscast at the three, and the bench ranked among the league’s least productive last season.
Internally, the team remains confident. Their 15–8 record in games with James and Dončić last season (.652 win percentage) suggests that, with the right supporting cast, they’re not far off from serious contention.
This may not be a summer of splashy headlines for the Lakers, but it’s shaping up to be a summer of surgical precision—one that could quietly elevate them into the Western Conference’s inner circle.