Lakers trade news: LeBron James indirectly demands Rob Pelinka to make roster fixes ahead of deadline

LeBron James shared his honest thoughts on the LA Lakers roster after their 116-102 loss against the LA Clippers on Sunday night. The Lakers were outmatched by the Clippers' role players, and that hurt the Purple and Gold. It has been their story of the season. While they boast a respectable 22-18 record and are sixth in the Western Conference, the Lakers have glaring roster weaknesses.

The Lakers seemingly tried their best against the Clippers and kept their fighting spirit intact despite going down by 21 points in the third quarter. However, Ty Lue's team maintained its composure down the stretch and emphatically answered the Lakers' runs.

After the game, LeBron James reiterated that the Lakers have to play "perfect basketball," especially against opponents over .500. He also clarified his thoughts on the roster, saying:

"We don't have a choice, that's the way our team is constructed."

LeBron was seemingly dropping hints for the Lakers front office to get active and surround him with the supporting cast needed to contend for a championship. The Lakers have three roster needs despite adding Dorian Finney-Smith in December.

They need another reliable center who could play with Anthony Davis and, in rotation, another playmaker to bolster the team's halfcourt shot-creation and a point-of-attack defender.

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LeBron James comments follow after reports of Lakers holding back on big moves emerge

LeBron James seemingly indicated Rob Pelinka to make moves after rumors emerged about the Lakers staying put at the trade deadline. According to insider Jovan Buha, LA is unexpected to spend its first-round picks, contrary to reports that came out after the team made the deal to acquire Dorian Finney-Smith.

The Lakers will reportedly make marginal moves to upgrade the team by using second-round draft capital. However, that may not be enough to lure high-end role or bench players.

The Lakers lack exactly that compared to their rivals and it has held them back from being successful, especially in the regular season. After winning the title in 2020, the Lakers are yet to avoid the play-in tournament. They have even missed the playoffs once since then.