The Los Angeles Lakers addressed an area of need (in theory) by trading for Rui Hachimura on Monday — kicking off the NBA's unofficial trade season and hopefully jump-starting the market ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline.

Rob Pelinka wisely swapped a redundant guard (Kendrick Nunn) for Hachimura, who offers the size (6'8, 230 pounds, 7'2 wingspan), shooting, and versatility the Lakers desperately needed from a forward not named LeBron James.

The Lakers surrendered three (of their seven) tradable second-round picks for Hachimura, meaning they have their two tradable first-rounders (2027, 2029) to spend on additional upgrades. While introducing Hachimura on Tuesday, Pelinka reiterated that the Lakers probably aren't done dealing and will aggressively seek further deals, but will only cash in their chips before the deadline for a trade that puts them in championship contention.

The Lakers will continue to explore trades based around a combination of their three non-minimum, non-star players: Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, and the aforementioned picks.

Considering Westbrook's massive 2022-23 cap figure ($47.1 million), he remains extremely tricky to move. Beverley, 34, might hold value to a playoff team as a malleable shooter, defender, and tone-setter, and his salary ($13 million) is ideal for trades. Walker, 24, has emerged as a solid microwave scorer and is only making $6.5 million, but he's a pending free agent.

Even with Hachimura in tow and Anthony Davis back in the lineup, the Lakers — at 23-26, 13th in the Western Conference — still have reasons to be aggressive on the market, and not just to appease LeBron.

Biggest need Lakers must address: More shooting!

The Lakers arguably need another center (Jakob Poeltl?). AD prefers to play the 4, Thomas Bryant's defense can render him unplayable, Wenyen Gabriel is undersized, and Jones has been a complete non-factor. I disagree. Bryant and Gabriel are relentlessly hard workers, their energy alone is valuable, and they've developed a nice chemistry with Russ. Davis is more effective at center, and the Lakers should essentially force him into the role 100 percent of the time.

The Lakers could use another shot creator as well, though Hachimura provides an element of that. The thing is: the Lakers don't need any more guards, want to let Westbrook cook and create with second units, and want to populate LeBron/AD lineups with floor spacers. Between Walker, Westbrook, Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and Dennis Schroder, the Lakers may have just enough shot creation to buoy their stars.

Speaking of stars, plenty of Lakers fans would be in favor of swapping Russ' contract and two first-rounders for a high-profile player, such as Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Bradley Beal, or Damian Lillard. Those guys are great, but even if the Lakers could nab one, I believe the Lakers' most prudent route is to surround LeBron and AD with high-quality complementary pieces, rather than reconstruct a top-heavy, three-star squad with limited flexibility and depth. LaVine, due to his age and shooting, would be the exception.

Every team could use more quality defensive players, though the Lakers, when fully healthy, can currently field a rotation that amounts to a top-10 D.

And while every team in the modern NBA could use more perimeter shooting, the Lakers could, like, really use more shooting. It remains the team's biggest need, even after adding Hachimura.

Los Angeles ranks 26th in 3-point percentage and 3s attempted per game. They're last in 3s made per game at a paltry 10.5. For a team with playoff aspirations with three future Hall of Famers who greatly benefit from being surrounded by floor spacers, those figures are nowhere near acceptable. Darvin Ham is keenly aware of this. When asked recently about the Lakers' trade deadline needs, Ham said he “can't pinpoint” anything specific, then punctuated his politically safe answer by noting that “shooting always helps.”

In a brief interview a few minutes later, he was a bit blunter.

So … the big question: Who's out there?

Certainly, Bojan Bogdanovic is the name to watch. He remains closely linked to the Lakers, according to The Athletic. The Detroit Pistons reportedly want an unprotected first-round pick, which isn't an insane price considering his combination of size (6'7), 3-point shooting (42.3%), passable defense, and overall production (21.5 PPG). If the clock is winding down on deadline day, the Lakers should heed Detroit's demands. The downside? He's owed about $39 million across the next two seasons, but he's an excellent player whom the Lakers should just pay and keep around. They could use more season-to-season continuity.

A few other names to watch:

  • Eric Gordon would add another under 6'5 guard, but he plays bigger than his size and would presumably replace Beverley. Gordon is Pelinka's former client and is often connected to the Lakers in trade rumors. He could start or come off the bench, play in any lineup combination, and is trustworthy in the postseason, thanks to his experience and decent defense when dialed in. His $20 million salary for 2023-24 is not guaranteed.
  • Buddy Hield is a former Pelinka client, as well, and the Indiana Pacers' recent slide down the standings could revive trade talks between them and Los Angeles.
  • Jae Crowder fulfills the description as a veteran 3-and-Der, and might not cost a whole lot.
  • The San Antonio Spurs are shopping Josh Richardson, who's hitting over 36% of his 3s in 2022-23.
  • The Brooklyn Nets could be open to dealing Joe Harris and/or Seth Curry. Pat Bev + Lonnie match Harris' salary.
  • Doug McDermott (6'7) is making 41.8% of his triples in 2022-23 and has an easily matchable salary ($13.8 million).
  • Gary Trent Jr. is 6'5, 24, averaging 18.6 PPG, and a career 38.5% 3-point shooter with a reasonable $18.8 million player option for 2023-24. For those reasons, though, the Lakers would need to part with at least one first, perhaps two. Trading with Masai is dangerous.
  • Cam Reddish shot 35.9% from 3 in 2021-22 but has struggled from beyond the arc for most of his career. He's young and athletic (and is repped by Klutch), and might only cost a second-round pick or two.
  • The Lakers don't need guards, but Jordan Clarkson and Mike Conley Jr. are excellent shooters who could be had.
  • A few other names: Gary Harris, Terrence Ross, Caris LeVert, Alec Burks.

We'll see if the Lakers will make any more trades. Two weeks to go until the deadline.