Tired of seeing the same roster for a while now, Lakers Nation is anxiously awaiting the franchise’s trade move. And it has been reported that GM Rob Pelinka had his eye on a target for some time. Now seems like the right time to act. However, a sudden twist has emerged, with another Western rival now entering the race to compete for the small forward.

Lakers insider Jovan Buha recently revealed that the franchise is interested in Cam Johnson. “Brooklyn is expected to make wings Cam Johnson ($22.5 million but with a likely cap hit of $27 million) and Dorian Finney-Smith ($14.9 million) available — and much sooner than the Feb. 6 deadline. Both have been tied to the Lakers for months,” the reporter stated.

Following the news, Forbes’ Evan Sidery reported, “The Nuggets and Nets have held exploratory talks around a potential trade featuring Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson.” Denver has taken it a step further by initiating trade discussions with the Nets to land the combo forward in exchange for Porter.

Pelinka emphasized before the season that the Lakers are looking for a sustainable player who can become a long-term asset, and Johnson certainly fits that profile. Given the trade goes through, the Lakers would be paying $65 million, which is the remaining amount of his contract. The 28-year-old is averaging 18.6 points this season, which makes him a strong option to support LeBron James and Anthony Davis offensively. So, if the general manager doesn’t act quickly, the Nuggets could acquire the small forward to strengthen their roster.

Finney-Smith is another player who has been linked to the Lakers for the past couple of years. Along with Cam, the Nuggets could also pursue Finney-Smith or Bojan Bogdanovic, as Sidery mentioned in his post. It appears like Denver is closely monitoring the Lakers’ potential targets and is planning their moves accordingly.

Amid the trade window, a clearer picture has emerged of the players that the LA side intends to build their roster around.

Lakers’ potential non-negotiable list as per NBA insider

One thing is for sure, the Lakers are not looking to trade LeBron or AD. They are integral to the squad. So, there’s no way the franchise would want to give them up. If that wasn’t enough, Buha mentioned, “The Lakers are not currently considering trading either superstar.” Reflecting on their current plan, he wrote, “They want to bolster their supporting cast and continue building around Davis and James.”

Recently, there has been a lot of speculation regarding the 39-year-old’s potential move to the Warriors and other suitors. However, the Lakers are undoubtedly eager to hold on to their best player, who is averaging 22.8 points coupled with 8.0 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per night. Meanwhile, AD’s averages of 27.8 points and 11.4 rebounds also benefit the team. The duo is the backbone of the Lakers, and the team heavily relies on them which explains why they want to build the team around them.

Besides the two aces, Buha added Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and Max Christie’s names as the players that the Lakers “view as longer-term core pieces.” Reaves looks much more polished this season, taking on greater responsibilities, while the rookie has become a regular in the lineup, quickly catching the team’s rhythm. Christie has also done well balancing his G League and NBA commitments. So, do you think that the Lakers will be able to bag their trade targets? Let us know in the comments.