The Lakers need help with their 3-point shooting. And it’s not because they don’t have shooters. It’s because they don’t have the right shooters.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves take most of the Lakers’ threes. Most of their attempts are difficult, coming off of pull-ups, step-backs, and late-clock shots. The team needs to cut down on these bad attempts, but the players around them don’t consistently knock down their open looks.
The Lakers don’t just need shooters. They need shooters who can convert the advantages Luka and Austin create, without hesitation and without needing the ball in their hands.
Here are three realistic trade targets who could help the Lakers do exactly that.
Kevin Huerter
Kevin Huerter is the type of reliable shooter the Lakers need. He’s comfortable playing off movement, spacing to the corners, or sliding into open windows as the defense collapses. He doesn’t need rhythm dribbles or a green light to freelance — he catches, reads, and shoots.
Huerter also brings just enough secondary playmaking to keep the offense flowing. If defenders close out too hard, he can put the ball on the floor, make the simple read, and keep the advantage alive rather than stalling the possession.
He’s not a defensive stopper, but he understands team concepts. At the very least, he’ll know where he’s supposed to be. That’s more than you can say for some of the Lakers in the current rotation.
His biggest value is his reliability. He gives you shooting, plus a little more on the court. He knows his role and plays it well.
Malik Monk
Malik Monk has been linked to the Lakers previously, more so for his ability to create shots and heat up from the bench. He would definitely address one of their biggest holes in bench scoring. But his ability to knock down open looks will also help their overall shooting.
He isn’t just a spot-up shooter. He can attack closeouts, create his own shot, and hit difficult threes when plays break down. The athleticism he brings from the guard spot and his downhill pressure will help generate better looks for the team.
His contract might make the Lakers think twice before pulling the trigger. But from a basketball standpoint, Monk fits cleanly. He wouldn’t just help the shooting numbers. He’d help the process that creates better shots.
Luke Kennard
Luke Kennard is probably the most reliable shooter the Lakers can realistically get. He doesn’t need rhythm dribbles or designed actions. He’s comfortable shooting immediately off the catch, off movement, or on quick reversals. Defenses respect him the moment he steps on the floor, which creates space even when he isn’t touching the ball.
Kennard won’t fix penetration issues or solve defensive problems, but that’s not why you acquire him. You acquire him because he can knock down open shots, which helps relieve the Lakers’ ball handlers from having to hoist up difficult threes.
The Bigger Picture
None of these players will magically turn the Lakers into an elite three-point shooting team on their own. But adding players who can punish defenders for helping off or collapse the defense themselves is the fastest way to change that equation.
Until defenses are forced to stay honest, the Lakers will keep living on the hardest threes in basketball. These three names give them a way out of that cycle.
