Movement around the NBA trade deadline does not always come in the form of blockbuster deals. Sometimes, the quiet decisions tell the real story about where a franchise believes its season is headed. That reality surfaced on January 23, 2026, when the Los Angeles Lakers made their first roster cut of the year. The move did not reshape the rotation, but it revealed how firmly the organization is committed to patience rather than urgency.

More importantly, it aligned directly with an offseason-first strategy that could define the Lakers’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. While the Lakers remain reluctant to make a major move before the trade deadline, their G League affiliate took action. The South Bay Lakers announced they had re-acquired guard Kobe Bufkin, while waiving guard James Reese to make room.

Bufkin had recently completed a 10-day contract with the Lakers, which briefly opened the door to the team’s vacant 15th roster spot. However, after limited NBA minutes, the organization chose not to commit to him at the senior level just yet.

That said, the decision was not a rejection. By bringing Bufkin back to South Bay, the Lakers signaled continued interest in his development rather than a rush to fill the final roster slot. Reese, meanwhile, appeared in just two games off the bench before being waived.

Context matters here. Before earning his 10-day deal, Bufkin had emerged as a standout with South Bay, averaging nearly 25 points and 3.6 assists per game. The Lakers saw enough upside to keep him in their system, even while resisting pressure to make a short-term NBA addition.

The Lakers’ restraint goes beyond a single G League transaction. At this stage of the season, the front office does not view the trade deadline as the right mechanism to meaningfully upgrade the roster.

Instead, the organization appears focused on flexibility. Keeping the final roster spot open preserves optionality, both financially and strategically. It also reinforces the belief that the most impactful changes are more likely to come in the offseason than through incremental deadline moves.

That long view becomes clearer when factoring in the summer landscape. The Lakers expect significant cap maneuverability once current contracts expire, allowing them to explore pairing Luka Doncic with another elite star. Paying Austin Reaves is part of that equation, but expiring deals help absorb that cost.

Because of that, urgency now could undermine leverage later. Patience, even when the team clearly needs help, is the chosen path.

The Lakers’ dream scenario for Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed

That patience feeds directly into the Lakers’ dream scenario involving Antetokounmpo. Trade buzz around the Milwaukee Bucks superstar has only intensified, but league insider Trevor Lane does not expect a midseason move.

Instead, Lane believes the bidding resets in the summer, which is when the Lakers can finally operate from a position of strength.

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“I think it’s much more likely to happen in the summer,” Lane said on Laker Nation’s YouTube show. “We’ve got tons of cap flexibility. We can absorb 57 million in salaries almost. Plus, we’ve got three first-round picks.”

Those picks matter. Over the summer, the Lakers regain access to their 2031 and 2033 first-round selections. Combined with their 2026 pick, which becomes tradable only after the draft due to league rules, Los Angeles could realistically offer three firsts to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Timing is everything. Because the Lakers do not control their 2027 first-rounder, they cannot move the 2026 pick until it is used. Any serious offer, therefore, hinges on cooperation between the two teams around draft night.

“If Giannis wants to be a Laker,” Lane added, “building around a Luka-Austin-Giannis trio probably has more appeal than making a smaller move right now and losing that opportunity.”

The waiver of James Reese is small on paper, but it fits cleanly into a much larger strategy. The Lakers are choosing development over desperation, flexibility over impulse, and summer leverage over deadline noise.

With multiple suitors expected to line up for Antetokounmpo, waiting is not without risk. Still, Los Angeles appears comfortable betting that patience, cap space, and draft capital will matter more in the offseason than any short-term roster tweak now.

The trade deadline will come and go soon. The Lakers’ real push, by design, is still months away.