The Los Angeles Lakers were bounced in the first round of the NBA playoffs in five games by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers’ weakness at center was obvious as the series went on, and it should be the team’s focus this offseason.
One Lakers insider recently spoke about which big men the team should target this summer. Could they try to pull off another deal with the Dallas Mavericks?
Lakers Beat Writer Names 2 Realistic Center Targets
Los Angeles pulled off the heist of the century by trading for Luka Dončić earlier this season. In 28 games with the Lakers, Dončić led the team in points (28.2) and rebounds (8.1), while also averaging 7.5 assists (which ranked second behind only LeBron James).
Dončić is the future of the franchise and will take over for James once he either moves on or retires. What the team didn’t address before the trade deadline was the center position. L.A. attempted to trade Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and picks to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams, but the trade was rescinded after the center failed his physical.
The Lakers entered the playoffs with a glaring hole at the five and had no answer for Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert. So, how can the Lakers address this weakness in the offseason? Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha recently did a Q&A and brought up two realistic options for Los Angeles.
“It’s tricky right now. If the Lakers had not made the Luka trade, my intuition would point to [Daniel] Gafford,” Buha explained. “I think Gafford is going to be available, and there is a clear framework there that the Lakers could get to the salary relatively easily. And it would make some sense, especially if they’re willing to put the first on the table, or maybe a protected first on the table.
“However, given the baggage with the Lakers and Mavericks, and all the backlash that Nico Harrison and the organization got for the Luka trade, I don’t know if them gift-wrapping a starting-level center to the Lakers and helping Luka out in that manner, even if it is a relatively fair trade, would go over well with the fanbase.”
Harrison has been the butt of jokes since trading Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. Gafford is only 26 years old, and he averaged 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks for the Mavericks this season.
So, if Gafford isn’t a realistic option, who else can the Lakers pursue?
“Right now, I would lean either [Nic] Claxton or Clint Capela,” Buha said. “I think there’s a big gap between those two. I would rather have Claxton than Clint Capela. But Clint, either for the taxpayer [mid-level exception] or part of the non-taxpayer, they don’t have to get to all of it, depending on where his market is, or trading for Claxton.
“I think right now those would be the two front-runners for me. Gafford could be in there if Nico is really willing to play ball and look at it objectively. I just don’t know, optically, if they could handle another trade with the Lakers.”
Claxton is just 25 years old and could be a long-term partner with Dončić. He averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks this year for the Brooklyn Nets. He’s under contract for three more seasons at $24.25 million per year.
Capela would be a short-term solution, as the 11-year veteran will be a free agent this offseason. He averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks for the Atlanta Hawks this season.
The Lakers need to fill their hole at center this offseason. It was their undoing in the playoffs, and as good as Dončić and James are, they will need some help down low.
