Lakers have a painfully obvious reason to stand pat with their best asset

Fansided | January 13, 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers can have multiple first-round picks to trade if they wait until the summer.

Feb 4, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka introduced guard Luka Doncic at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have been desperately holding onto their tradeable first-round pick(s) ahead of the looming NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5. The reasoning for that is obvious. If the Lakers keep steady now, they can be much more active in the future.