Though the Los Angeles Lakers are second in the West and have their trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves back together, there is still always room for improvement through a trade. While Los Angeles has done a lot to create this 2025-26 roster, perimeter defense and three-point shooting remain the biggest issues for the team. While James, Doncic, and Reaves all expect to lead the Lakers for at least the remainder of this season, Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick have multiple players they can move on from and upgrade. But specifically, Rui Hachimura remains a looming candidate, and according to Tyler Watts of LakeShowLife, the Lakers could target Trey Murphy of the New Orleans Pelicans as a perfect upgrade at the forward position. “The Los Angeles Lakers want to jump into title contention, and could pull off the perfect move by trading Rui Hachimura for Trey Murphy III,” he wrote on a potential Lakers-Pelicans trade. “The Pelicans are last in the Western Conference standings and headed toward the lottery. They should be open for business ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Fans may think Murphy is out of the Lakers’ price range, but getting strong value for Hachimura could change that.” Though without any national spotlight, for the second year in a row, Murphy is averaging at least 20 points per game, along with six rebounds and three assists on 46/37/94 shooting splits. The wing from Virginia is making roughly $28 million per year, but with his increasing value, his contract could be a steal. Lakers Mock Trade For Trey Murphy While Hachimura remains a consistent and solid player in his own right, it’s hard to see him as anything but a role player at best. The Lakers have made it clear they are vying for a championship now, and though a trade for Murphy could be costly, the 6’8” forward could be the missing piece. “The 25-year-old is the perfect fit for the Lakers’ timeline. He could join Luka and Austin Reaves as the franchise’s core pieces for the next decade,” Watts wrote. “This would give Los Angeles the horses to compete for a championship this season and make them a title threat into the 2030s.” Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Trey Murphy III and Karlo Matkovi Chicago Bulls Receive: Rui Hachimura New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Kevin Huerter, Maxi Kleber, two 1st round picks, two swaps, 2032 2nd round pick. The haul for New Orleans would be big, but as they are last in the Western Conference with just two wins, there’s a possibility the asking price could drop. For Chicago, they get an upgrade at the wing with someone who offers a bit more stability. But for the Lakers, adding Murphy changes the direction of the team. They haven’t shown too much interest in developing young prospects or having a top pick in general, so it is easy to see Pelinka sending out their draft capital to guarantee a roster can compete with teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder or Denver Nuggets. “Now is the time to get [Doncic] a potential wing co-star, who is locked into a cheap contract until 2029,” Watts added. “The Los Angeles Lakers should only trade Rui Hachimura if they are getting a significant upgrade. Trey Murphy III certainly offers that.” Another Pelicans Star Could Be On The Table Though Murphy might be too rich for the Lakers’ blood, the potential of the Pelicans having a ‘fire sale‘ similar to the Sacramento Kings remains a strong possibility. While a Murphy trade might hold too much risk in this new era for Los Angeles, New Orleans might have another player whom they could make an offer for. “Is there really any trade target more perfect for the Los Angeles Lakers than Herb Jones?” Svyatoslav Rovenchuk wrote in a similar article about a Lakers trade idea for one of the Pelicans’ other top young players. “Jones is the type of 3-and-D star who would immediately raise the Lakers’ ceiling. His $13. 9 million makes him an easy player to match salaries for as well.” While the counting stats, 9. 5 points, 3. 8 rebounds, 2. 3 assists, aren’t amazing, Jones is a top-tier pest named to the All-Defensive First Team just two years ago. His 36. 2% three-point shooting percentage also wouldn’t hurt the last-place shooting Lakers, but more importantly, he would become the team’s number one wing defender. A deal for Jones would also likely include Hachimura to match the salaries, but with defense at a premium, the forward from Alabama would also have a high price tag.
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/los-angeles-lakers/perfect-candidate-murphy-jones-trade-rumors/