The Los Angeles Lakers suffered their worst month of the 2025-26 season so far in December. The Lakers played lackluster basketball for most of the season, finishing with a 5-7 record. On top of that, their defeats have often been by wide margins, as they’ve been losing those games by an average of 17.7 points this season.
All their losses have come by double digits, and it is clear as day that the Lakers need to make a massive roster change if they even want to compete in the playoffs this season.
More news: How Nikola Jokic’s Injury Could Impact Nuggets’ Season
Given how things look for LA, it is unlikely that a trade or two out there can propel them into a legitimate championship contender.
Nonetheless, the Lakers will likely make a trade or two with a little over a month away till the trade deadline. Who they will trade for or how aggressive they will be is the question.
As we enter the new year, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report named three trade targets for every NBA team in 2026, and one of the three players Favale named for LA is former All-Defensive big man Robert Williams III, now with the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Feel free to round out the board with another wing. Yet, even with Jaxson Hayes exceeding expectations, a higher-end big man behind Deandre Ayton is a need, too,” Favale writes. “Robert Williams III retains his vertical gravity along with his defensive mobility and disruption if he’s healthy. This is a big if, but that uncertainty should permit L.A. to make a play for him without surrendering any serious draft equity.”
Williams would be the type of player the Lakers need as they lack a consistent, dominant interior defender. The Lakers are a lackluster defensive team, so it’s clear that any type of upgrade, whether on the wing or in the paint, would do wonders for a team ranked 25th in defensive rating this season.
The 28-year-old is a solid player when on the court, but that is hardly ever the case. In the past three seasons alone, including this one, Williams has played in a total of 48 games.
More news: Lakers’ JJ Redick Called Out by ESPN Pundit After Embarrassing Christmas Loss
For all the latest NBA news and rumors, head over to Newsweek Sports.