When the Los Angeles Lakers shocked the league by trading Anthony Davis for Luka Dončić back in February, the goal was clear: build for a championship window that lasts beyond the LeBron James era. The pairing of LeBron and Luka delivered a 50-win season — the franchise’s first since 2020 — but the dream ended abruptly with a first-round playoff exit.
As ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel recently noted, Rob Pelinka’s summer moves — adding Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart through buyouts — improved the Lakers’ rotation but may not be enough to actually push them past contenders like Denver or Oklahoma City. “It’s hard to buy into the notion that the Lakers have drastically improved their pursuit of a championship this offseason with the additions of Smart and Ayton,” Siegel wrote.
So the question lingers: what else can the Lakers do to compete for a title in 2025?
The Missing Ingredient: A Versatile Wing
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For all the star power of LeBron and Luka, the Lakers still lack a two-way wing scorer who can stretch defenses, guard multiple positions, and give them a punch in transition. Fadeaway World recently floated Andrew Wiggins as a perfect fit — citing his championship pedigree, defensive versatility, and ability to complement superstars.
A blockbuster concept, outlined by Siddhant Gupta of FAW, would send Wiggins and Jaime Jaquez Jr. to L.A. in exchange for Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, and a 2031 first-round pick.
For the Lakers, the math is simple: Wiggins slots into the starting lineup as an elite defender and athletic slasher, while Jaquez adds youth, IQ, and bench scoring. As Hoops Tonight’s Jason Timpf put it, “He is one of the top-10 apex defenders you could put on an opposing star in a playoff series, and he can do it against multiple different types of stars.”
That kind of versatility is exactly what the Lakers need come playoff time.
A Smarter Swing: Aaron Nesmith from Indiana
If Wiggins is the big swing, Aaron Nesmith might be the under-the-radar move that actually makes the most sense.
With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined by an Achilles injury, the Indiana Pacers face a lost season. That opens the door for L.A. to pry away Nesmith, who quietly flirted with the 50-40-90 club last season and exploded in the playoffs — including a 30-point, eight-three performance in the Eastern Conference Finals.
A proposed deal could send Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, and future picks to Indiana in exchange for Nesmith. For the Lakers, Nesmith provides exactly what they’re missing: elite three-point shooting, playoff-tested confidence, and switchable defense.
More importantly, he doesn’t eat into their long-term flexibility, leaving the door open for another star pursuit once LeBron retires or moves on.
Don’t Sleep on a Bench Scorer
One other name to watch? Malik Monk. With the Kings retooling, Monk could be gettable at a reasonable price, giving L.A. the microwave scorer off the bench they desperately need.
The Big Picture
The Lakers already boast one of the most dangerous duos in basketball with LeBron and Luka. But as Siegel cautioned, Ayton and Smart alone won’t vault them past the elite teams out West. To truly contend in 2025, Los Angeles needs a wing upgrade — whether that’s Wiggins’ proven defense, Nesmith’s shooting and youth, or a bench scorer like Monk to balance the offense.
Pelinka has shown a willingness to swing big. The next few months may determine if the Lakers are simply a playoff team — or a real threat to hang Banner 18.