Lakers and Wizards Navigate Trade Deadline Moves

The Washington Wizards are open to trading most players as the NBA Trade Deadline approaches, aiming to offload expiring contracts like those of Malcolm Brogdon and Marvin Bagley III to build for the future. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are actively pursuing trades to bolster their roster, including potential deals for Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls and Herb Jones from the New Orleans Pelicans, to enhance their defensive capabilities and support LeBron James. Despite previous interest, the Lakers have backed off from acquiring Kyle Kuzma and are not favorites to land Cam Johnson, with the Oklahoma City Thunder leading in odds to acquire him. The Lakers' aggressive trade strategy reflects their urgency to strengthen the team for a competitive playoff run while planning for a post-LeBron era.