The Los Angeles Lakers are under immense pressure to make some big changes this summer. With Luka Doncic explicitly demanding roster upgrades, the Purple and Gold have begun their search for players that fit Doncic’s playing style. While adding perimeter shooters is undoubtedly important, the Lakers’ priority is acquiring an A-list center.
Currently, the Lakers are projected to have the most free cap space in the league this offseason, giving them significant flexibility while making roster decisions. This would typically make it easier to sign a top-drawer center, but Lakers insider Jovan Buha recently noted the grim reality of the current landscape.
“The Lakers are running out of center options,” Buha began. “Like, [Kel’el] Ware is technically off the board. He’s in Milwaukee now. We’ll see with [Myles] Turner and [Isaiah] Stewart if the deal expands. But then you also have [Nic] Claxton now in Chicago. The Hoop Collective reported that Walker Kessler is 80+% likely to stay in Utah. Duren was far less likely to be available than Kessler anyway.”
“So with this musical game of chairs here with the center spot, it’s like, ‘Where are the Lakers finding their center?’ I don’t know,” Buha continued. “I don’t see Isaiah Hartenstein becoming available. Rudy Gobert, maybe? But I don’t love the fit, and he’s 34 years old. I don’t see Wendell Carter Jr. becoming available. I don’t see Jarrett Allen becoming available.”
After noting the A-list players who would qualify as starters on virtually every NBA team, Buha added:
“I don’t even know if [Yves] Missi is a starter. Maybe? He’s shown starter potential, but he’s still pretty raw. And it’s probably like a year or two away.”
“To me, it’s rather taking a gamble on a young player, who’s probably not ready for it, or it’s entrusting a Robert Williams III or a Mitchell Robinson,” he claimed. “Those guys, to me, are fringe starters, but more like high-level backups.”
Jovan Buha’s list of Lakers center targets features 12 players. While this makes for an impressive collection, as Buha mentioned, a majority may not be available.
For starters, it is safe to write off players such as Kel’el Ware and Nic Claxton.
The interest in Ware was relatively new for Los Angeles, with L.A. being mentioned in multi-team trade scenarios involving Giannis Antetokounmpo. With a cap hit of $4.6 million (team option), Ware would have been a low-cost, high-value pickup, especially when considering his averages of 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Unfortunately, with Ware being traded to the Bucks, the only way the Lakers can acquire him is in a standalone trade.
The case with Claxton is similar. While L.A.’s interest in acquiring Claxton (11.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG), despite his $23.1 million contract, has been noted, his move to the Bulls currently restricts him from being packaged with other players.
Realistically, the Purple and Gold can revisit trades for Claxton and Ware after the 60-day aggregation period is lifted, but this may not be favorable.
Aside from these two, the Lakers were also linked to restricted free agents Walker Kessler and Jalen Duren.
In all fairness, the chances of landing a player like Duren were slim. Although he faded in the postseason, his regular-season averages of 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game, along with his All-NBA accolades, effectively cemented his place in Detroit.
With the All-Star center due to earn a massive five-year extension worth up to $287 million with Detroit in free agency, the Lakers were always on the outside looking in. Thus, shifting focus to acquiring an elite rebounding and shot-blocking center like Kessler (14.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.8 BPG) seemed reasonable. Unfortunately, this seems unlikely, too.
For the most part, the Jazz and Kessler share a mutual desire to remain together. With reports suggesting that the franchise is more than willing to offer him a five-year, $140 million extension, the Lakers’ chances of landing the restricted free agent have been reduced even further.
With four players already off the board, the Lakers have already seen the pool dwindle significantly. Sadly, there are more names to cross off.
Wendell Carter Jr. and Jarrett Allen were among the many targets Buha mentioned. Between these two, Carter Jr., though affordable at $18.1 million, seems far less likely, primarily because of how effective he was for the Magic last season, posting 11.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.
In theory, Allen (15.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG) would have been the ideal fit next to Doncic in L.A. Aside from being a reliable pick-and-roll center, he also boasts tremendous shot-blocking ability and serves primarily as a lob threat. Rumors still linked the Lakers to Allen ($20.0 million) in a potential sign-and-trade deal, sending LeBron James to the Cavs. Unfortunately, this seems to have fallen through as well.
Another player who is likely to be off the table for the Lakers is Isaiah Hartenstein. Although the Thunder are likely to reject his $28.5 million team option, given how valuable he was for them (9.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG), OKC will find a way to bring him back on a new contract.
Aside from the aforementioned names, the remaining players, while impactful, don’t necessarily inspire as starters.
Pelicans big man Yves Missi has repeatedly been presented as a trade target for the Lakers. Although Buha doubts his potential as a starter right now, which seems justified given his averages of 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game last season, his $3.5 million team option makes him a lucrative asset.
However, NBA insider Ian Begley reported that the Pelicans have shot down any chance the Lakers would have had of landing the center when he wrote:
“Multiple teams, including the Lakers, have reached out to the Pelicans about Yves Missi, but the Pelicans have resisted those offers.”
This leaves only a handful of rotational pieces that may be available in the market. Among these, Robert Williams III (free agent) and Isaiah Stewart ($15.0 million) appear to be the most realistic additions, though even Stewart may be off the board given his role in Detroit.
Thus, the Lakers may be forced to consider some unlikely trades if they wish to acquire a starter-quality big man.
Buha mentions Rudy Gobert as a potential target for L.A. this offseason. Although Buha isn’t too convinced by the fit, Gobert, even at a whopping $36.5 million price tag, may be the only starter-quality center, aside from Myles Turner ($26.5 million), who may be available in trade talks.
With the Wolves undergoing a massive rebuild, Gobert may find himself on the trade block soon enough. Even at 34, he adds value as a defensive anchor, having averaged 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game.
Similarly, Turner may also be a viable trade target. As the Bucks prepare for a future without Giannis Antetokounmpo, it won’t be long before Turner becomes available in trades. When factoring in his rim-protection upside and floor-spacing ability, along with his averages of 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game on 38.3% shooting from three-point range, the Lakers may see value in pursuing him.
Overall, the Lakers’ chances of boosting their frontcourt are slim. Still, given the pressure they are under to address their frontcourt issues, Los Angeles may be forced to pull the trigger on a move sooner rather than later.
