We all know that the Lakers are on the lookout for a big player to pair with Luka. In fact, they even attempted to make a deal for Mark Williams but had to back out due to health concerns. Ever since that moment, they realized they were facing a challenge in the postseason, especially against the bigger Minnesota Timberwolves roster. However, the path forward for the Lakers is now clearer: it's time to utilize their limited assets to secure a center who can team up with Luka next season. Let’s dive into the best center options the Lakers might snag at a reasonable price!
You might not find a center that can do everything, so it’s better to grab a few and use them when needed. There are plenty of solid players who aren’t quite starting quality on their own but have the potential to work well alongside Luka and LeBron.
In this trade, we could see the Lakers cashing in most of their remaining assets to secure a few options at center. The primary center they end up landing is Wendell Carter Jr., a versatile inside-out big man from Orlando. Carter has been a solid rotation big for the Magic for a few years now after being traded from Chicago. In that first year, he was putting up 15 points and 8 rebounds. Since then, his playing time has slipped as the Magic have acquired a number of other solid post players, but he would be an elite inside-out option to play next to Luka, helping to keep the floor spaced while providing a decent rebounding option.
To add some depth, the Lakers make a move to acquire Robert Williams III as well, one of the top defensive centers in the league. His biggest issue, however, has been his availability, missing games in Boston and then Portland. However, this year in Portland, he had some excellent stretches as an amazing backup before getting shut down late in the season for tanking reasons. He would be the ideal type of defensive and lob-threat player to shake up the rotation. In addition to Robert Williams, they’d add another dynamic center in Duop Reath, a late bloomer in the NBA, but an experienced center nonetheless. His ability to rebound and spread the floor would add depth and be ideal to round out the position for LA. The trio could be an excellent and cost-effective way for the Lakers to build out depth and enhance their post game.
In addition to all that, they add a late first while swapping out an unprotected 2031 first to snag even more depth in a deep draft this year!
One of the biggest issue the Laker faced in the post season was their rim protection. Most of that fell to LeBron, but after 20+ season in the NBA, that man can’t be in charge of keeping the paint clear by himself, that’s why this deal focus on getting a solid defender that would fit ideally with how Luka plays.
Nic Claxton has been an up-and-down player, but he would fit perfectly next to Luka. His ability to lock down the paint and be a lob threat could work out excellently. He’s been one of the biggest reasons the Brooklyn Nets have remained a semi-competent team in the East, despite initially looking like a tanking team at the beginning of the year. At only 26 and standing at 6-11, he could be a perfect fit for a longer-term vision of building around Luka. He averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds this year, playing in 70 games. He’s been one of the more durable centers in the league for the past three years, playing 70 or more games since 2022. If the Lakers are willing to put all their chips in on one guy, this might be the most obtainable difference-maker on the market for them. He does a little bit of everything they need.
This would leave the Lakers nearly barren of tradable assets, so this would have to be the ace in the hole for them.
If the Lakers are more focused on winning as soon as possible while LeBron still has the capability to contribute high-quality basketball, this might be the solution. They need an additional scoring presence, and this could be the move to introduce another elite scoring threat to the team.
Nikola Vucevic is no spring chicken, but he demonstrated that he still has plenty left in the tank this year. He is 34, so this wouldn’t align perfectly with a long-term building strategy, but it would keep their 2026 cap space open since he is expiring. That may be important to LA, as they are still regarded as one of the premier signing destinations in the league, especially with Luka. If they want to maintain their options for a better free agency market in 2026, this could be an excellent plan.
As for Vucevic, he had one of the best scoring seasons of his career, stretching his range to the three-point line at a rate seldom seen from a player his age. In this last season, he played 73 games, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. This would represent a significant increase in productivity from the center position compared to Jaxson Hayes this year. Shooting over 40% from three and taking 4 three-point attempts per game, he would turn the Lakers into an unstoppable force on offense. The defense would still be a concern, but this would be the most economical option to acquire a high-quality player. By sending out Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht, the Lakers would sacrifice some youth while retaining their 2031 first-round pick, giving them flexibility to trade that pick later on. Overall, this would be a gamble, but it has some high upsides long term.
Trades are the only way the Lakers could find their center this off-season though. There are some value bin guys available that may be able to give the Lakers a little extra room to work. Some of the top options are:
Brook Lopez
Clint Capela
Steven Adams
Kevon Looney
Andre Drummond
Out of these, Capela seems like one of the more likely options. He’s been a solid journeyman in Atlanta after getting traded from Houston. It looks likely that the Hawks aren’t going to pursue another contract for him, which would make him an easy get for the Lakers. He averaged nearly 9 points and 8.5 rebounds, which isn’t going to blow anyone away, but as a solid screen setter, he’d have a valuable role next to Luka.
Steven Adams and Brook Lopez could be the flyer guys to try out. Lopez has been a solid player on the Bucks for a while now, but showed his age this year. His ability to spread the floor and provide some dependable minutes as a defender could be enticing, but he would likely struggle as a full-time starter in the West. Steven Adams might be a little more of a pipe dream, but his contributions in the playoffs with Houston this year have been impressive. He wouldn’t be a game changer as a full-time starter, nor could he handle the workload, but if the Lakers could pick him up as a backup option, he’d be ideal. Unfortunately for LA, it looks like Houston will try to retain him, which might impact their ability to sign him.
Ultimately, the future looks bright for the center position for LA. They have the tools to bring in some solid options to pair next to Luka, which could elevate their ceiling for the 2026 season!