As the February 5 trade deadline approaches, the Los Angeles Lakers appear increasingly positioned as buyers, with a wing upgrade emerging as a clear priority.
A wide range of names has circulated in recent weeks, including Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Keon Ellis, Jonathan Kuminga, Miles Bridges, DeAndre Hunter, and Andrew Wiggins.
At the same time, the Lakers’ search for help has not been limited to the perimeter.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, general manager Rob Pelinka is also exploring options to bolster the frontcourt, with rim protection viewed as a growing need.
Lakers Monitoring Pelicans Center Yves Missi
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi has emerged as one of the players the Lakers are tracking, alongside several other teams.
“New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi has drawn significant trade interest, including the Pacers, Hawks, Celtics, Knicks, Bulls, Lakers, and Raptors as suitors, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported.
Missi, 21, is averaging 5.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks through 41 games this season.
Those numbers do represent a step back from his standout rookie campaign, when he earned All-Rookie Second Team honors. The dip appears tied more to a fluctuating role amid organizational changes in New Orleans than any decline in ability.
For Los Angeles, Missi’s appeal is clear. The Lakers have struggled with physicality for much of the season and rank near the bottom of the league in rebounding and interior defensive metrics.
Missi is averaging 3.0 offensive rebounds per game, ranking 11th league-wide, a skill set that would immediately translate within the Lakers’ rotation.
With summer signing DeAndre Ayton under increasing scrutiny and playing his way out of the rotation, Missi has become a name to monitor.
Forbes’ Evan Sidery has also reported Lakers interest, reinforcing the notion that Pelinka is casting a wide net in the frontcourt market.
Lakers Weigh Cost and Flexibility
From a financial standpoint, Missi checks several important boxes. He remains on a four-year, $15.6 million rookie-scale contract, earning $3.3 million this season and $3.5 million in 2026-27, with a $5.5 million team option for 2027-28.
According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith, the Lakers are projected to have more than $55 million in available cap space this summer, enough to pursue significant additions.
Missi would represent a low-cost, long-term developmental piece rather than a cap-clogging commitment, allowing Los Angeles to maintain future financial flexibility.
That said, Scotto added that New Orleans may be holding out for a first-round pick in any deal for Missi.
With the Lakers currently controlling only one tradable first-rounder, that asking price could prove prohibitive.
Still, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin has reported that Los Angeles is exploring the possibility of trading either its 2031 or 2032 first-round pick in exchange for multiple future selections, a move that would significantly expand its trade flexibility.
Lakers Also Eye Pelicans Wing Saddiq Bey
The framework for a potential deal could extend beyond Missi alone. Scotto also reported that the Lakers continue to survey the wing market.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have gauged the trade market looking for 3-and-D wing help, with targets ranging from Herb Jones to Andrew Wiggins to Jonathan Kuminga to Saddiq Bey, etcetera,” he added.
Bey, 26, has enjoyed a strong season in New Orleans after missing the entire 2024-25 campaign with an ACL tear.
Through 42 games, he is averaging 15.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.0 steal per game, while shooting 44.5% from the field and 34.3% from three-point range.
At 6-foot-8, Bey fits the archetype the Lakers are seeking. He brings size on the wing, a reliable perimeter shot, and defensive versatility.
New Orleans may test the market following a red-hot January stretch in which Bey is averaging 19.5 points per game on 45% shooting from beyond the arc.
Bey is in the second year of a three-year, $19 million contract, earning $6.1 million this season with his salary rising to $6.4 million in 2026-27.
It remains possible that a larger framework with the Pelicans involving both Missi and Bey could be constructed, one that might justify Los Angeles parting with a first-round pick.
With the Lakers reportedly shopping expiring contracts such as Rui Hachimura ($18.2 million), Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million), and Maxi Kleber ($11 million), along with second-year guard Dalton Knecht, Pelinka and the front office appear increasingly aggressive as the deadline draws closer.
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