The Los Angeles Lakers have piled up wins early in the season. The offense is rolling. The stars are producing. But the defense keeps flashing red. Los Angeles is allowing 115.8 points per game despite a 15–5 start. The leaks are there. The numbers make it obvious.
As the schedule tightens and playoff basketball gets closer, the question grows louder. Can the Lakers defend well enough to keep pace with the West?
A new report suggests they may already be looking for a solution.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Lakers are among the teams “actively exploring ways” to acquire Herb Jones if the New Orleans Pelicans decide to listen.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports also endorsed the idea, calling Jones “a perfect fit” for Los Angeles and suggesting a package built around Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent and draft capital.
Jones is one of the premier defensive wings in the league. All-Defensive First Team in 2024. One of the cleanest matchup defenders in the Western Conference. A player who shifts schemes on arrival.
And he fits the Lakers’ biggest need.
Lakers Need a Real Defensive Wing, and Jones Fits the Mold
Scoring is the Lakers’ strength. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves generate an elite two-man game, and lineups featuring LeBron James become almost impossible to guard. They create advantages, bend spacing and pick apart defenses with pace and precision.
That offensive firepower, however, comes with real defensive challenges.
Luka is not a point-of-attack defender. Reaves competes but isn’t slowing elite scorers. LeBron turns 41 this month and cannot anchor matchups the way he once did. The Lakers can thrive offensively, but playoff basketball demands wings who can survive isolation, chase shooters and erase mistakes before they turn into runs.
That is where Jones fits in.
Jones can take on matchups across four positions, cutting off actions before they even develop. Dribble handoffs get blown up. Space disappears because of his length and anticipation. What he provides is something the Lakers simply lack right now: a perimeter stopper who masks the defensive gaps around their offensive stars and tightens the entire structure.
That presence is what makes a Luka–Reaves–LeBron trio workable in the postseason.
What the Lakers Can Offer for Herb Jones
Jones signed a three-year, $68 million extension this summer. His contract is movable, but league rules prevent a trade before January 14, 2026.
That means groundwork begins now. Execution comes later.
The Lakers can build offers around:
• Rui Hachimura
• Dalton Knecht
• Jarred Vanderbilt
• Gabe Vincent or another expiring contract
• A future first-round pick
• A pick swap
Knecht is the name that stands out. The Pelicans are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league. Knecht is a shooter with upside. He fits a need New Orleans cannot ignore.
But the Warriors remain a threat. They can offer Jonathan Kuminga or Moses Moody. Those assets carry significant weight.
The Lakers can compete. They just may not control the market.
Why Jones Would Change the Lakers’ Ceiling
GettyAnthony Davis shoots over Herb Jones.
Defense drives everything here.
The Lakers already know they can score. Luka and Reaves bend defenses every possession. LeBron enhances everything around them when he shares the floor. But in the playoffs, the Lakers will see isolation-heavy offenses. Teams will hunt matchups. Weak links get attacked until adjustments break.
Without an elite wing defender, the Lakers will be making those adjustments from a place of weakness.
Jones changes that instantly.
Jones brings stability to every lineup he touches. Breakdowns get erased by his quickness. Passing lanes tighten because of his length and timing. Scorers lose rhythm when he shadows them possession after possession. With that kind of coverage behind them, LeBron can preserve energy for offense, and Luka and Reaves can stay locked into their playmaking roles without being targeted. Late-game units become more reliable with a true stopper anchoring the wing.
This is the type of player that increases your margin for error when the stage gets big.
And the Lakers need that margin.
Final Word on a Potential Jones Move
New Orleans has resisted moving Jones for years. They know how valuable he is. They know how rare his skill set is. But Zion Williamson’s long-term injury puts the Pelicans in a complicated position. A reshuffle is not out of the question.
If that window opens, the Lakers should be aggressive.
Jones ranks among the league’s elite defensive wings, and his skill set aligns perfectly with what the Lakers need around their stars. The timeline fits. The postseason matchups fit. Very few players available can elevate their defensive ceiling the way he would.
Whether Los Angeles can outbid the Warriors is unclear. What is clear is this. Herb Jones is worth the pursuit.
And if the opportunity presents itself, the Lakers cannot hesitate.
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