Lakers GM Rob Pelinka may have a big ace up his sleeve.
Lakers Could Get Big Trade Boost In Summer League originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been mostly quiet during the early days of free agency.
They signed Jake LaRavia, Deandre Ayton, and re-signed Jaxson Hayes. But other than that and landing Adou Thiero in the league's historic seven-team trade, there haven't been many updates.
Notably, that could change pretty soon, as GM Rob Pelinka will start pulling some strings.
According to a report by Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints, the Lakers' general manager will use the Las Vegas Summer League to lobby his way into some moves:
The Lakers are hoping to reignite trade talks at Summer League, sources tell @AnthonyIrwinLA. Intel on new trade targets ⬇️https://t.co/9Wr1Unv94o
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 8, 2025
“Rob (Pelinka) 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 Irwin. “Summer league has become a real opportunity for all of us in that way.”
As things stand now, the Lakers could still use another big man to back up Ayton. J.J. Redick didn't seem to trust Jaxson Hayes in the playoffs, and Ayton isn't known for his defensive prowess or his rim protection.
On top of that, LeBron James' agent Rich Paul stirred the pot by hinting at James' discontent with the current roster.
The Lakers have a clear pecking order with James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves, and they added another potential 20-points per game scorer in Ayton, but that might not be enough to get over the hump in the crowded Western Conference.
And with limited financial resources as a first-apron team, it seems like Pelinka will have to work his magic to get some deals done.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
