The Los Angeles Lakers have a good and perhaps a very good roster as training camp for the 2025-26 NBA season approaches. However, many would agree they don’t have a truly championship-caliber roster right now.

The question is, what do they need to become a legitimate championship contender? Is it a two-way wing, a 3-and-D guard, a better backup center or a combination thereof?

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Rohan Brahmbhatt, a writer for ClutchPoints, recently did an article where he listed three players the Lakers should go after in order to complete their roster. One of them is Dejounte Murray, a guard who is currently with the New Orleans Pelicans.

“The Lakers have long searched for backcourt stability to complement LeBron, cycling through guards from Russell Westbrook to D’Angelo Russell with mixed results,” wrote Brahmbhatt. “Enter Dejounte Murray, whose situation in New Orleans is under constant watch around the league. Murray brings something the Lakers desperately lack: a reliable two-way guard capable of pressuring the rim, creating offense in the halfcourt, and defending multiple positions. While Austin Reaves has improved, the Lakers still don’t have a perimeter shot creator they can fully trust outside of James, and in playoff scenarios, that void becomes glaring.”

Murray has always been a player who possesses plenty of quickness, and he can both score and get others involved, as well as help out on the boards. He has also had a reputation as a plus defender, and during the 2021-22 season, he led the NBA with two steals a game while being named to the All-Star team.

“Murray’s appeal lies in his fit,” Brahmbhatt continued. “With Ayton anchoring the defense, Murray could wreak havoc on the perimeter as a point-of-attack defender. Offensively, his ability to drive downhill and create shots from midrange would ease the burden on LeBron, while also providing the Lakers with another closer in tight games. Unlike past guard experiments, Murray doesn’t need to dominate the ball to be effective. He could thrive in a system where LeBron orchestrates the offense and Murray plays the role of finisher, secondary initiator, and defensive disruptor.”

However, Murray tore his right Achilles tendon midway through last season. Although he’s relatively young, as he turned 29 years of age on Friday, Sept. 19, one has to wonder if that injury will rob him of his speed and quickness.

He has three years remaining on his current contract, which includes a player option for the 2027-28 season, at over $30 million a year. That could mean that his price could be a bit too steep for the Lakers, especially given his recent Achilles injury.

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The Lakers were reportedly in pursuit of Murray midway through the 2023-24 season when he was a member of the Atlanta Hawks. According to at least one report, trade talks broke down because the Hawks didn’t want to take back D’Angelo Russell, whom the Lakers were offering.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Writer says former All-Star guard could be missing piece for Lakers