As we inch closer to the trade deadline, few teams find themselves in a more desperate position than the Los Angeles Lakers.

At 23-29 and in 13th in Western Conference, the Lakers face an uphill battle to even make the play-in tournament, let alone the playoffs. They’re in the midst of a nightmare east coast trip that’s already featured maybe the most heartbreaking loss of any team’s season with the non-call fiasco in Boston.

Making matters worse, tanking doesn’t benefit them at all because the owners of their 2023 first round pick are the New Orleans Pelicans, courtesy of the Anthony Davis trade way back when.

So what does all this mean? Well, basically the Lakers continue losing in a season when their only option is to win. That desperation has already come out in the form of a questionable trade in which they gave up three future 2nd round picks for the oft-injured and mostly underachieving Rui Hachimura.

In terms of next moves, it’s pretty simple: sell off their remaining first round picks in 2027 and 2029, along with whatever else anyone will take in the hopes of bringing back some veteran pieces.

They’ve been linked to several players.Well actually, they’ve been linked to pretty much everyone that’s available. Some of the more notable names include Fred VanVleet, Myles Turner and Jordan Clarkson, all of whom would provide a significant boost, but the problem is non wouldn’t ultimately lift them to the promise land.

At this point though, the Lakers need to take anything they can get. They do have LeBron still somehow playing at a hall of fame level, at the ripe age of 38, and when healthy, Anthony Davis is a top 10 player.

The hope at this point is to sneak into the play-in tournament, take care of business, hope AD goes nuts in the playoffs and go from there in a wide open Western Conference, though it might be considered a fools hope.

At this point though, the Lakers and their fans will gladly take any hope they can get.