Despite offseason dreams of a championship run, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled this season.

With an 11-9 record after 20 games, the team is in seventh place in the Western Conference—far from being a title contender, as expected.

Before the NBA Trade Deadline, the Lakers will surely have to make some strategic changes, barring a drаmаtic improvement. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reports that the club has narrowed its pursuit of new players to two prospects—Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan—instead of Zach LaVine.

“I’ve actually heard that they’re more interested in DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso,” said Buha.

“A.C., that escaped all of us… Those two players have contracts that are easier to handle. In steps DeMar, the team’s flamboyant shotmaker who, save for when LeBron’s jumper is falling, doesn’t appear to be on the roster.

Then there’s Alex Caruso, who is just one of the league’s top perimeter players overall and a top defender at the point of аttаck. Although all three me𝚗 are being seriously considered, rumors have it that DeMar and Alex are the two most important.

I don’t understand why the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t putting LaVine first.

There are three other teams vying for the services of Zachary LaVine, so he is still a possibility and has shown interest in joining the Lakers. Furthermore, they are said to be among the leading suitors for Utah Jazz player Lauri Markkanen.

The Lakers seem to be at a crossroads as the NBA Trade Deadline draws near, and changes are on the horizon. In the coming two months, the team’s new roster composition will be revealed, providing insight into their strategic decisions and whether they are in line with their goals of being a championship contender.