The Los Angeles Lakers have reasons to dream big for the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season.
They also have obvious areas to improve if they want to reach their grandest goals.
While their 7-3 start has spawned all kinds of encouragement—particularly when they’re still awaiting the season debut of LeBron James—it has also revealed some problem areas within the Purple and Gold. If they’re hoping to contend for the crown, they clearly need more from their defense (21st in efficiency, per NBA.com) and their center spot (where Deandre Ayton has a dismal minus-14.5 net differential).
Why not attack both birds with a single stone? Because an aggressive trade for Luka Dončić’s former running mate, Daniel Gafford, might do the trick. And while his availability isn’t quite certain, “several teams are monitoring” the situation, per ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, who added the Lakers have had “strong interest in Gafford dating back to last season.”
It feels like a no-brainer from L.A.’s side.
Ayton’s play has been up-and-down, and he isn’t the kind of spring-loaded rim-runner who would work best with Dončić and other downhill playmakers like James and Austin Reaves.
Gafford clearly is that kind of player, though. And the Lakers already know he can thrive with Dončić, as the two started alongside one another on the Dallas Mavericks’ 2023-24 Finals team.
If there’s a potential hiccup here, it’s that Dallas is simply wearing too much egg on its face from the disastrous (for the Mavs) Dončić deal, which has already put general manager Nico Harrison firmly on the chopping block. Maybe the Mavericks can’t possibly stomach the idea of dealing with the Lakers again.
That said, that’s a bad way of doing basketball business. If Dallas decides it needs to ship out proven producers for long-term assets, and if L.A. proves most willing to meet its asking price, then nothing else should matter.
Now, maybe the Lakers could have trouble putting together that kind of trade package. They are, after all, already down two future first-round picks, and they’re nearly devoid of young, ascending talent. It’d be tough to market 2024 first-round pick Dalton Knecht as an up-and-comer when he’s a 24-year-old shooting specialist who’s only converting 24.2 percent of his long-range looks.
Still, it’s hard to imagine other teams will be blowing up the Mavs’ phone lines in pursuit of Gafford. He’s a solid piece, but he’s still just a role player—and one who will start a three-year, $54.4 million extension next season. Teams must have both high-end talent and clear question marks at center to consider him as anything resembling a missing piece.
The Lakers fit that unique description, though. While they haven’t played as well as their record suggests—they’re tied for fifth in winning percentage but sit just 17th in net rating—they have a clear and compelling reason to believe better days are ahead. Getting James back will be a massive boost, even if there are some unanswered questions regarding the dispersion of touches.
For as loaded as the Western Conference is, a Lakers team featuring James, Dončić and Reaves will not—and should not—fear anyone. They won’t be on-paper favorites, but they’ll be in the mix.
If they can upgrade the center spot, that is. A Gafford deal would do that, and with the Mavericks in a tail spin, that hardly feels impossible.