Lakers newsletter: What the Lakers accomplished at the trade deadline

Hey everyone, I’m Dan Woike and welcome to The Times’ Lakers Newsletter, a place where I can take a deep breath and look back on everything that’s happened this trade season, where the Lakers and Rob Pelinka significantly rebuilt this team with three deals.

Dec. 29, 2024

Lakers send D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and second-round picks in 2027, 2030 and 20301 to Brooklyn for Shake Milton and Dorian Finney-Smith

—An important transaction to kick things off for the Lakers because of the way it helped transform the team’s identity. In Finney-Smith, the Lakers got the kind of low-maintenance role player committed to his defense that every team wants. Plus, after a slow start, he has shown that he’s more than capable as a shooter, giving the Lakers the kind of spacing and versatility that JJ Redick wants for his vision.

Feb. 1, 2025

Lakers send Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to Dallas for Markieff Morris, Maxi Kleber and Luka Doncic

—OK, a true shocker. All indications to this point were the Lakers were maybe looking at smaller deals, with a lot of those indications coming from inside the front office. The market for centers was pretty rough, without true difference-makers available at the cost being asked for. And then, boom. The Lakers post-LeBron James future came into focus with this deal. Doncic hasn’t debuted — he’s slated to play his first game since Christmas either on Saturday or Monday.

Feb. 5, 2025

Lakers send Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, 2030 first-round pick swap and 2031 first-round pick to Charlotte for Mark Williams

—Another shocker, this time because Pelinka himself said there likely wasn’t a big trade to be made to solve the Lakers’ problems in the frontcourt after the team dealt Davis to Dallas. But late Wednesday night, the Lakers and the Hornets struck a deal with the Lakers trading their best remaining assets (outside of Austin Reaves) to Charlotte for Williams, a promising 23-year-old center who can put pressure on the basket alongside Doncic. He’s got real work to do as a defensive rim protector, but the deal signals the Lakers willingness to be aggressive with two things at once: giving James a real crack at winning now while still having things aligned for the future.

Song of the week

Soft Cell – Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

My new trade deadline anthem – you say hello, you wave goodbye. While people can and should be excited about the new Lakers players, I’m personally sad to say goodbye to each of these players who I had personal and professional relationships with (including more than one disagreement). I’m excited about getting to work with these new players, but sad to see some real professionals go.

In case you missed it

Hernández: Trade deadline deals transform Lakers from sideshow to NBA title contenders

L.A. native upset Luka Doncic is a Laker. He’s raising money to protest trade with billboards in Dallas

Lakers trade for center Mark Williams, deal Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and draft picks

Hernández: How committed is LeBron James to the Lakers after Luka Doncic trade?

Kings captain Anze Kopitar welcomes fellow Slovenian Luka Doncic to L.A.

Plaschke: Luka Doncic joins Lakers with bad baggage … and that’s a good thing

‘Imagine how I felt’: Luka Doncic surprised he was traded to Lakers

Inside the podcast relationship of Luka Doncic and JJ Redick

Is Luka Doncic 230 or 260 pounds? Magic Johnson says new Laker must take ‘conditioning seriously’

Here’s why the Lakers believe LeBron James will not ask to be traded

Rob Pelinka says Luka Doncic will lead Lakers ‘for years to come’

Commentary: Why Mavericks grew frustrated with Luka Doncic and offered him to Lakers