After the initial snub by fans on slow moves, the Lakers’ front office has been working overtime lately. After landing Luka Doncic in February, the expectations were high, but the lack of results in the playoffs forced hard calls. First not so not-so-long promise to LeBron James, and then bringing Deandre Ayton raised hopes again. Everyone expected Rob Pelinka to round out the roster with some savvy veteran moves. The buzz around Vegas was all about adding proven winners–guys who’ve been deep in the playoffs and know what it takes. But sometimes, the best-laid plans hit a wall. The trade market can be brutal, even for a marquee franchise like LA.

Then, news breaks that shows just how tricky roster-building can get. Pelinka swung big for championship pedigree but came up empty on two key targets. Now, the Lakers are shifting gears fast, turning to younger, less-heralded options to fill those spots. It’s a reminder that even in Hollywood, you don’t always get your first choice. The details reveal some surprising roadblocks.

Shams Charania dropped the pivot on X: “The Los Angeles Lakers plan to sign 7-footer Christian Koloko and forward Chris Manon on two-way NBA contracts.” Koloko, familiar to Lakers fans after 37 games last season, brings much-needed size and rim protection (2.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg). His return is noteworthy after blood clot issues sidelined him previously. Manon, an undrafted Vanderbilt product, turned heads in Summer League with the Warriors – averaging 11 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in Vegas. These aren’t splashy moves, but they’re cost-effective depth plays after bigger swings missed. So why the backup plan?

Brett Siegel’s reporting reveals the sting: LA “discussed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Donte DiVincenzo as potential trade targets.” KCP talks sparked after Memphis landed him in the Desmond Bane-Orlando trade. The Lakers pushed hard, hoping to reunite with their 2020 champ, but the Grizzlies held firm. DiVincenzo? Even colder reception. Minnesota “immediately turned down” talks about the Bucks champion, despite his reported frustration coming off their bench. With both doors slammed shut, Pelinka turned to the two-way market – securing potential over proven pedigree for now.

It’s not KCP’s poise or DiVincenzo’s shooting, but it’s what was left. The Los Angeles Lakers’ “developmental program” just got two new test cases. Speaking of development, one signing screams steal if his Summer League translates…

Manon: the “right way” defender Pelinka needed

Chris Manon isn’t a household name, but his game shouts “Lakers fit.” As Dan Woike noted, he’s “a high-level defender and a smart player with a great motor who ‘plays the right way.’” Translation: He’s a pest. A connector. The kind of guy who tilts games without needing shots. At Cornell, he led the Ivy League in steals (2.2 per game) and set school records for swipes. At Vanderbilt? Team-high 56 steals and 33 blocks. He hunts ballhandlers like they owe him money.

His Summer League run with Golden State confirmed the hype. In just 18 minutes a game, he averaged 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks- absurd disruption for a wing. Against Cleveland, he exploded: 17 points, 4 steals, 2 blocks. Warriors Summer League coach Lainn Wilson raved about his chaos factor: “He can just impact the game in so many other ways… causing live-ball turnovers in the open floor” that fuel easy buckets, and that is something Rob Pelinka is looking for.

Manon’s not just an athlete, though. His IQ pops. He reads passing lanes, rotates early, and crashes the glass (5.2 RPG in Vegas). The “great motor” means he never stops moving- sprinting back in transition, diving for 50/50 balls, cutting off-ball. The LA Lakers need low-cost, high-energy glue guys, and Manon’s two-way deal feels like finding cash in last season’s jacket. If he defends like this in camp, he might steal real rotation minutes. Pelinka’s pivot just might pay off.