The Los Angeles Lakers currently possess the No. 8 seed in a loaded Western Conference with a 13-11 record through 24 contests this season.

Though the team escaped their latest matchup with a 107-98 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers Sunday night, their final point total was atypical for a Laker win so far this season.

This season, the Lakers have relied heavily on their title-winning superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis to carry the offensive load. 

Even with two NBA 75th Anniversary Team members on the roster and Davis specifically scoring 27.5 points on a 61.0% true shooting percentage, the Lakers’ offensive unit has floundered. 

Los Angeles’ 112.1 points ranks as the No. 17 highest team scoring figure in the NBA, but they’ve been forced to stand firmly behind their middle-of-the-pack offense due to their atrocious No. 26 ranked 117.0 defensive rating. 

For this reason, Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka could be tempted to pick up the phone to inquire about trading for a former All-Star and NBA champion from the Indiana Pacers to fully lean into their hopeful identity as a lethal offense.

With Los Angeles needing to establish themselves in a historically tough conference, acquiring Pascal Siakam from Indiana makes perfect sense.

The 30-year-old forward is currently the driving force behind one of the NBA’s best offensive systems in Indiana.

Siakam is contributing 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds on a career-best 41.1% shooting clip from three-point range for a Pacers team that’s been losing steam since their Eastern Conference Finals appearance last postseason.

Indiana’s putrid 10-15 record through 25 games this season could be a sign that the franchise could sell the two-time All-Star Siakam and head in a different direction.

Siakam’s arrival in Indiana via trade during the 2023-24 season made one of the NBA’s greatest offenses at the time even deadlier, and his career-high 61.8% true shooting percentage this season could exponentially boost the Lakers’ scoring effectiveness.

With a Siakam acquisition, Los Angeles could compete for a title as one of the best offensive teams in the league that also happens to possess a five-time All-Defensive Team selection in Davis.

To land Siakam who cannot be dealt until Dec. 15, Los Angeles would have to unload sizable contracts, young prospects and plenty of draft capital. 

This would include a combination of Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell or Gabe Vincent along with prospects Jalen Hood-Schifino, Max Christie, Maxwell Lewis and first-round draft compensation.

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