The only way the Lakers can improve their roster is by doing this

The Lakers just traded two young players to the Utah Jazz in exchange for the all-NBA defensive player Patrick Beverley. Despite this being a great move, it's not enough to compete for the championship. There are many players linked to the Lakers, but the only way to get any of them is by surrendering their two first round picks.

According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, the only way that the Lakers will surrender their first round picks from 2027 and 2029 if, in return, they get the players that will undoubtedly make them contenders in the upcoming season.

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“The Lakers, I’m told, continue to hold firm on their position that they will agree to surrender both of their future firsts in the same deal only if the trade makes them a certified contender. Does a three-teamer that routes, say, Utah’s Bojan Bogdanović and New York’s Evan Fournier to the Lakers rise to that level?” explained Stein.

The Lakers front office did offer their two first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving, but we all know how that ended. Since then, they have been unwilling to send both picks as they need to think in their post-LeBron era.

Do the Lakers need the first-round picks?

The Lakers are in a ‘win or bust’ mentality for the next two seasons. They extended LeBron James this offseason expecting that he can lead the team to a championship in either of the next two years. However, he won't do it if the Lakers don't upgrade the roster.