The Lakers aren’t in a typical draft spot with the No. 25 pick. This isn’t a team that can afford to take another long-term project just to fill out the roster. They already have Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves is expected to return on a new deal, and LeBron James could still come back for another season.
What they need right now are players who can contribute immediately, not someone who might be useful in three years.
The series against the Thunder made the problem crystal clear. The Lakers had enough shot creation, but they lacked real defensive answers. Too many possessions ended with LeBron or Reaves getting hunted, and they simply didn’t have enough quality wing defenders to hold up against a deeper, faster team.
That’s why the No. 25 pick should be on the table in trade talks. The pick still has value: it’s a first-rounder that can net you a cheap rotation player in the right draft. But for the Lakers, a solid defensive wing or a proven veteran role player would be far more useful than another rookie-scale contract. The goal is straightforward: players who defend, run the floor, don’t need a lot of touches, and can stay on the court in playoff games.
These four names aren’t stars, and that’s not the point. The Lakers don’t need another star. They need the kind of role players who make Luka’s life easier and keep the roster from getting torched defensively again.
4. Naji Marshall
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Naji Marshall
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Jake LaRavia, Adou Thiero, No. 25 pick
Naji Marshall isn’t the perfect fit, but he’s a solid starting point for this list because the cost and contract work well.
Last season with the Mavericks, he averaged 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 51% from the field. That’s real production. It was easily a career-high scoring year. He was forced into a bigger role on a messy Mavericks team and didn’t collapse. He attacked the rim, played through contact, and gave them a physical wing who could actually handle the ball.
The problem is his shooting. He only hit 29.1% from three on 2.9 attempts per game. That’s not great for a Lakers team built around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both of whom need spacing. If LeBron returns, he’ll need it too. So Marshall can’t be pitched as an ideal offensive piece.
Still, there are encouraging signs. He shot 67.2% within five feet, showing legitimate rim pressure. He also posted 1.1 steals per game, a solid 59.2% true shooting percentage, and a 15.4 PER. He’s not just a filler forward; he can attack, make plays, and bring physicality.
The contract is what makes this realistic. Marshall is due $9.4 million in 2026-27, the final year of his three-year, $27 million deal. That’s manageable money for the Lakers. Matching it with LaRavia ($6M), Thiero ($2.15M), and the No. 25 pick gets the salaries close enough.
For the Mavericks, they already have Cooper Flagg but still need cheap young talent and flexibility. Turning Marshall into a first-round pick and two lower-cost forwards could make sense if they want to keep building.
For the Lakers, Marshall is a bit imperfect but useful. He’s not a shooter, but he’s tough, physical, and better with the ball in his hands than most cheap wings. If better defensive options are too expensive, this is a realistic way to use the No. 25 pick.
3. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, No. 25 pick
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the safe, veteran version of this idea. He already picked up his $21.6 million player option with the Grizzlies, so the Lakers can acquire him in a trade instead of free agency.
His numbers last season weren’t impressive: 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 21 minutes, shooting 41% from the field and just 31.6% from three. His defensive rating sat at 120.5. It wasn’t the same KCP we saw in Denver.
Context helps, though. He missed 31 games, including the final 29 after right pinky surgery. He was also playing in a very different offensive system than the one he thrived in with the Nuggets. His three-point percentage has dropped from 40.6% in 2023-24 to 34.2%, then 31.6% last year.
The Lakers would be betting on a bounce-back, not buying peak KCP. The appeal is straightforward: he knows how to play next to superstars. He won titles alongside LeBron and AD, and later with Jokic and Murray. He doesn’t need the ball, understands spacing, transition defense, and makes smart decisions without overthinking.
The salary is the biggest hurdle. Vanderbilt ($12.4M) and LaRavia ($6M) get the Lakers close to KCP’s $21.6M, with the No. 25 pick as the sweetener. It feels like a lot for a 33-year-old coming off a rough year, but the Grizzlies would likely need the pick to make the deal happen.
The Lakers should only move forward if their medical staff and shooting evaluators are confident. If the finger injury explains the drop-off, KCP could still help. If it’s just age-related decline, this trade could age poorly quickly.
This isn’t the highest-upside move, but it’s the mature, reliable one. If the Lakers want a proven playoff role player who understands his job, Caldwell-Pope remains one of the cleaner options.
2. Derrick Jones Jr.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Derrick Jones Jr.
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, No. 25 pick
Derrick Jones Jr. represents the athletic, defensive version of what the Lakers are looking for. He’s not a flawless player, and the Lakers would still need to add more shooting, but he addresses a clear need: a legitimate wing athlete who can guard stronger scorers and run the floor effectively alongside Doncic.
Last season, Jones averaged 10.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 49.9% from the field. His advanced numbers look even better than the box score suggests, with a 13.3 PER and .600 true shooting percentage. Importantly, his usage rate was just 15.1%. That’s exactly the type of player the Lakers need, with someone who doesn’t require the ball to make an impact.
This fits perfectly with their roster. Luka will dominate possession, Reaves will handle a heavy load, and LeBron (if he returns) will still need his touches. They don’t need another high-usage scorer. Jones can cut, finish at the rim, defend, and thrive in a limited offensive role.
His defensive impact stands out. While his defensive rating was around 117, individual metrics can be misleading. The eye test is more telling: he has length, elite vertical athleticism, and proven experience guarding top scorers in the playoffs, including during the Mavericks’ Finals run.
The contract is very favorable. Jones is set to earn $10.5 million in 2026-27, the final year of his three-year, $30 million deal. It’s much more manageable than pursuing someone like De’Andre Hunter and preserves future flexibility while adding a real defensive wing without long-term salary pressure.
The trade package would be significant, especially since it involves a rival. LaRavia, Knecht, and the No. 25 pick represent real value. Knecht is the toughest piece to give up due to his shooting potential, but his role with the Lakers has diminished, making his value more theoretical than immediate. Jones, on the other hand, would contribute right away.
For the Clippers, this would be a chance to get younger following a 42-40 season. They would receive a first-round pick, a young shooter in Knecht, and a useful forward in LaRavia, making it a reasonable return for a role player on an expiring contract.
For the Lakers, Jones is likely the best realistic defensive wing available if more elite options like Herb Jones prove too expensive. He won’t solve every issue, but he directly addresses a major weakness.
1. Herb Jones
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Herb Jones
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, No. 25 pick, 2031 first-round pick, 2033 first-round pick swap
Herb Jones is the dream target, and it’s not even close.
He’s also by far the hardest player on this list to actually acquire. According to reports, the Pelicans are asking for two first-round picks plus young talent for either Jones or Trey Murphy III. That gives you an idea of the price.
The No. 25 pick by itself won’t get it done, and even adding Knecht probably isn’t enough. The Lakers would likely need to include their 2031 first-rounder and a 2033 swap to make it realistic.
That’s a hefty price for a player who averaged just 8.9 points per game. But the box score doesn’t tell the full story.
Jones put up 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.6 steals in 28.4 minutes last season. He shot 38.3% from the field and 30.9% from three, with a 49.1% true shooting percentage. Offensively, it was a rough year; there’s no sugarcoating it.
What matters is the defense. Jones made All-Defensive First Team in 2023-24 and has consistently been one of the best wing defenders in the league. He’s one of the few players who can guard star guards, big wings, and physical forwards without constant help. That’s exactly what the Lakers have been missing.
The Lakers can create offense with Luka, Reaves, and potentially LeBron. What they can’t fake is the elite point-of-attack defense that Jones brings in spades.
The salary works out cleanly enough. Jones is on $14.9 million in 2026-27, and matching it with Vanderbilt ($12.4M) and Knecht ($4.2M) gets the numbers close. The real cost is the draft capital.
For the Pelicans to seriously consider this, they’ll want that future first-round pick included. In return, they’d get Vanderbilt as a defensive forward, Knecht’s shooting upside, an immediate first-rounder in No. 25, and long-term assets from the Lakers.
For the Lakers, this is the move that genuinely raises their defensive ceiling. Jones can take the toughest matchup every night, protect Luka and Reaves from tough assignments, preserve LeBron’s legs, and finally let the team play a real playoff-style defense instead of just hoping their stars survive.
The shooting limitations are real, as teams will help off him, and the floor could get cramped. But with Luka, Reaves, and (potentially) LeBron creating, the Lakers can afford one defensive specialist if he’s truly shutting down possessions on the other end.
This is the best possible use of the No. 25 pick because it delivers a player the Lakers probably can’t draft at 25 and can’t easily find in free agency.
Herb Jones isn’t the cleanest offensive fit. He’s just the defensive monster they desperately need.
