After resolving the coach position issue as the Lakers hired JJ Redick, the next thing to fix is Rob Pelinka’s roster. The first change expected to occur in the team is Bronny James’ entrance. However, that is just the 55th pick. Purple and Gold still have the No. 17 pick, which they’ll want to use cautiously. On top of that, the Lakers still have opportunities to trade players and create cap space for themselves. As Trevor Lane and Sean Davis sat down on their Lakers Nation podcast today, they shed light on how the front office needs to be on their toes while acquiring Dejounte Murray to pave the way to new openings and retentions.

The 27-year-old has a cap hit of about $25 million, which will not be a lucrative deal for Rob Pelinka’s front office. There is another advantage to acquiring Atlanta Hawks‘ Murray, as he will also create openings for Taurean Prince and Max Christie to stay with the Lakers. However, the deal carries a time deadline. Per Yossi Gozlan, if the Lakers trade for Murray, they should do it before July when his extension kicks in. If he gets the extension, then they would have to match his salary requirements and release more players.

That’ll definitely not be a good deal for Pelinka and Co. Nevertheless, if the Murray trade happens this month, per the Lakers Nation assessment, they might save about $14 million in the trade. It is nothing less than a lottery, as the LA side can match their offer for restricted free agent Max Christie and retain Taurean Prince. For now, Prince has $4.5 million, and Christie has about $1.3 million deal annually.

Therefore, the cap space created by Murray’s trade is more than enough to land important free agents for the Lakers.

What is the importance of re-signings from the Dejounte Murray’s trade?

This year, Max Christie strengthened his claim to have more on-court minutes with his performance in times of need. Amid a pool of injuries, Darvin Ham looked toward him, and he justified his bench role. The 20-year-old has improved in departments like depth shooting and proven his mettle more than that of a catch-and-shoot guard. He clocked in a 35.6% average while shooting from deep and 42.7% from the field in the 2023-24 season. Overall, he can positively impact the offense, coupled with his principled defense.

Coming to Taurean Prince, he proved himself to be a savior by appearing in 78 games this season. Whether it be a reserve spot or a regular, his consistency on the court did not wave from his performance. Moreover, the Lakers forward even confessed that he did not want to leave during the free agency. “I just think the continuity of the team is the most important thing,” were Prince’s words after they crashed out of the postseason. So, Dejounte Murray’s trade becomes essential for the Lakers’ front office as soon as possible.

Since Dejounte Murray looks great only on paper for now, it doesn’t mean that he’ll perform well. However, the Lakers have an incredible chance to save themselves from the first apron. Should they go for it? Let us know in the comments.

Before you go, do not forget to check out Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, who opens up about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud. Keep checking this space for more such updates.