The trade for Deandre Ayton does help the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s an efficient scorer with age on his side. But is the roster complete? Far from it. The Purple and Gold lost Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets. That has left a defensive void that can’t be filled with their present availability. Jared Vanderbilt can contribute defensively, but having a two-way player is key to surviving in the West.

So what can the Lakers do, or is there anything they can do? Jovan Buha took a look around the market to identify some wings the Lakers could pursue. Spoiler alert, they aren’t readily available. However, Buha has identified a trade that would transform the Lakers altogether. It would require them to do business with the Pelicans again, as they did with Anthony Davis.

“If they do a trade for a wing, but I think the best player they could probably get or I’ll be careful with how I frame this. uh that that’s you know maybe available is like a let’s say like a Herb Jones and if they get a Herb Jones next to Austin and Luka all of a sudden we’re vaultting them into that Denver Houston tier and maybe even the top of that tier depending on how the rest of the roster looks,” he said on Buha’s Block.

Jones has quickly announced himself as a stellar defender with offensive upside. With a seven-foot wingspan, he is adept at guarding opponents’ wings. Last season, he averaged 1.9 steals per game, among the leading marks in the NBA. The Lakers could have all of that for a $14 million salary. It would go a long way in strengthening their roster.

Jones could become a starter besides Doncic and Reaves, taking some defensive pressure of their shoulders. Additionally, it helps solve the lack of depth, pushing Hachimura to the second unit to create a competitive roster. From a business perspective, the move won’t require much shuffling or a major sacrifice for the Lakers.

It depends on Rob Pelinka’s persuasion to convince the young Pelicans team to part ways with one of their anchors. Will it happen? The coming weeks will answer how the front office makes other upgrades to the roster. But in the meantime, Luka Doncic is making some moves of his own, but not for the Lakers.

Luka Doncic welcomes this Dallas Mavericks to Slovenia

There aren’t many people in the Mavericks’ office that Doncic would want to speak to. He was backstabbed last season when the unprecedented trade took place. But he managed to create some close relations, especially with Donnie Nelson. He served as the former president of basketball operations for the franchise and played a key role in their drafting of the Slovenian.

Nelson’s exit from the franchise was bitter, with him even filing a lawsuit. Moreover, he also publicly protested their trading of their star player. “Tremendous mistake by the Dallas franchise to trade him, and I want everybody to know that,” he said about the decision.

His emotions came from a place of being hurt. Nelson had studied Doncic when not many in the NBA were. He calls him a “dear friend,” having recognized his hidden potential before anybody else. Likewise, if a chance to work with him came up again, Donnie Nelson wouldn’t budge twice. And he didn’t.

According to Grant Afseth, he will be joining the Slovenian basketball team as an advisor. It comes at a pivotal time for the federation as they prepare for EuroBasket 2025, which starts next month. Among his duties could be to advise selectors on the design of the roster and picking a team besides Luka Doncic that is aimed at success.

It’s a job that brings Nelson closer to the gem he discovered. Additionally, it allows him to watch Luka Doncic progress through his career as he takes serious steps to improve his conditioning and fitness.