All voices have been urging the Lakers to make a trade. But, GM Rob Pelinka has been unusually choosy — perhaps a little too much, costing the team chances to enhance their roster. However, this time, the franchise’s legend Magic Johnson has subtly weighed in with his opinion on the team’s current state, a trade hint that will be hard for Pelinka to ignore.

During a recent appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Magic stated the obvious, saying, “We rely on both of them way too much,” referring to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He had high praise for both stars, commending them for their incredible performance. What about the rest?

The 65-year-old emphasized, “The role players have got to step up.” Pointing out the team’s weakness, Magic said, “Defensively, you know, we’ve been struggling, and so the Lakers gotta get better there.” However, he kept stressing that it’s the role players that need to do their job well.

“D’Angelo Russell is inconsistent up and down,” Magic highlighted. “Rui is up and down. You know? So we gotta get those guys. Austin Reaves have been out. He’s, again, inconsistent. You gotta get those guys more consistent, but we gotta be consistent on the defensive end.” 

Russell has shown some spark in certain games, but he hasn’t been consistent, averaging just 12.4 points while struggling with his shooting. So has Reaves, who looked quite promising at the beginning of the season but couldn’t put up the numbers consistently. And Rui Hachimura is averaging the lowest of the three, with 12.2 points.

The former Laker brought to light how younger teams take advantage of the Purple and Gold by pushing the pace, knowing the Lakers struggle to get back on defense quickly. So, all he wants is for the Lakers to start focusing on a few things that they desperately need at the moment.

Magic Johnson lists areas for the Lakers to focus on, while dropping trade hint

Honestly, there are several things the Lakers need right now, but Magic Johnson highlighted three key areas they must focus on to get back on the championship track.

The first thing Magic believes the Lakers need to work on is their defense. “We gotta start defensively be better,” he said, as their current struggles on the back court are allowing other teams to get open looks, leading to higher scores that the Lakers often fail to chase.

And although Magic acknowledged that he liked some of the adjustments head coach JJ Redick has made this season, the 5-time champion thinks, “The team has got to get better.”

Magic further added, “Last but not least, we don’t have a identity on who we are.” He believes that once the team understands their identity, it will be easier for them to move in the right direction.

While concluding his points, Magic boldly stated, “I really think that the Lakers are gonna end up basically where they were last season because the West is so, packed with great teams. Right? And so, I don’t think we have enough talent when you talk about the top 4 or 5 teams. They have more talent than the Lakers, and so, that’s where they’re gonna beat us.” He also dropped a hint that the Lakers’ roster lacks enough talent to compete with the other Western teams, which could ultimately lead to the Lakers being defeated by them.

And if that wasn’t enough, Magic mentioned, “We need one more player. If you’re gonna contend in the West, you gotta have at least 3 guys because look at look at Phoenix. Look at Denver. I mean, all these teams, the Mavericks, they got 2 or 3 guys that can get it done and get you 25 points a night. We don’t have that.” He believes there should be a third player who could form a Big 3 with LeBron and AD and consistently contribute 20 points per game.

As the franchise’s legend, Magic has earned the right to share his insights. His achievements and loyalty to the LA side make him more than qualified to offer suggestions that could help the team improve their 14-12 record.

Do you think it’s time for Rob Pelinka to make a move now that even Magic Johnson is calling for it, or should the Lakers stick with their current roster? Share your thoughts with us!