How Lakers Should Solve Overcrowded Roster Issue Before Regular Season

The Los Angeles Lakers have a roster decision to make before the regular season, and the best solution should begin with a realistic assessment of who will actually play.

With 16 players on guaranteed contracts and room for 15 on the standard roster, L.A. must move on from at least one player. That creates urgency, but it should not push the front office into paying an unnecessary price to solve a manageable problem.

Jake Fischer reported that the Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies are exploring trades as the Oct. 19 roster deadline approaches. His report did not identify a Lakers trade target or name a player the team is preparing to move.

The Lakers should pursue that route first, with a simple objective: clear the extra spot while preserving their most useful depth.

Dalton Knecht should be the first player L.A. evaluates for a possible trade.

That is a recommendation based on roster fit, rather than a claim that Fischer identified him as the outgoing player.

The Lakers have several options competing for perimeter minutes. Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Jake LaRavia and Ziaire Williams give JJ Redick different combinations of defense and size. Rookie Cameron Carr also needs opportunities to develop.

Knecht’s shooting remains a reason to consider keeping him. Spacing matters alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and moving a shooter simply because the roster is crowded could backfire.

The question is whether Redick sees a dependable role for him. If Knecht sits behind multiple wings and is unlikely to earn consistent minutes, the Lakers should explore whether another team values the opportunity to develop him.

A modest return would be acceptable. The purpose would be to address the roster limit and recover something for a player who might otherwise struggle to get on the floor.

The Lakers should avoid attaching meaningful draft compensation simply to remove one contract.

They also should be careful about creating a different weakness. Trading a player with a clear defensive or frontcourt role could leave Redick with fewer options when injuries or difficult matchups arrive.

A larger consolidation trade deserves consideration only if the incoming player provides a clear improvement. Sending out two players for one would solve the numbers issue, but that alone would not make the deal worthwhile.

Fischer’s update indicates the trade route remains active; it does not establish that an agreement is close.

If an acceptable trade does not materialize, the Lakers should make a direct roster cut based on their basketball evaluation.

They have already assembled the core of their team. This decision should support that group, preserve flexibility and give the final roster spot to someone with a credible path to contributing.