The top 5 best Lakers trades or signings in the franchise history

In the rich history of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, the NBA has seen some of the best players wear purple and gold jerseys. The Lakers made some great draft selections, but this time, these are the best five players the team has to acquire via trade or signing as free agents.

The number five belongs to the soon have his jersey retired with the Lakers, the Spanish Pau Gasol. Gasol's fluid, natural style was an immediate fit. Pau leads the Lakers to three NBA Finals and two championships.

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The fourth spot goes to Hall of Famer Jamaal Wilkes; he joined in 1977, played for eight years with the purple and gold, and won 4 championships with the team. The third place in the ranking is Shaquille O'Neal, who arrived in Los Angeles in 1996 and went on to win a 3-peat championship alongside Kobe Bryant.

Wilt Chamberlain, one of the Lakers' greatest, is the second-best signing for the Lakers. He was past his prime when he joined the team, but still, he played five seasons and won one championship. And the best acquisition for the Lakers is the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He played 14 seasons with the team and won five championship rings in LA.

The best Los Angeles Lakers draft player

This could be a tie between Earvin 'Magic' Johnson and Kobe Bryant, as both have been special for the purple and gold. Often Kobe is considered the third in the GOAT race, so he got a little edge over Magic Johnson, but he is also one of the greatest in NBA history.