The Los Angeles Lakers' first-round exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves made it clear that the franchise desperately needed an upgrade at the center position. The Lakers are expected to address that problem this offseason, and team insider Anthony Irwin revealed the players they are targeting.
“Sources close to the team reiterated that the internal plan is to trade for their starting center – sources say they've held conversations with other teams about Nic Claxton, Robert Williams, Walker Kessler and others – then, ideally, use the taxpayer midlevel on his backup – Brook Lopez and Clint Capela are the two names most often linked to the Lakers. It's a solid plan that they're considered likely to be able to execute.”
It appears that the Brooklyn Nets' Nic Claxton, the Portland Trail Blazers' Robert Williams, and the Utah Jazz's Walker Kessler are three players the Lakers are looking at to be their starter next season.
Claxton averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game for the Nets in 2024-25. The 26-year-old isn't a force on offense, but he would greatly help the Lakers defensively. We came up with a three-team mock trade that would see them land not just Claxton, but also Jonathan Kuminga.
While Claxton would be a great acquisition, the same cannot really be said about Williams, and that has nothing to do with his play on the court. The 27-year-old averaged 5.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game for the Trail Blazers in an injury-hit 2024-25 campaign.
Williams only played in 20 games for the Trail Blazers this season, and this was after featuring just six times in his first season with the franchise. The injury risk is just too great here. A healthy Williams would be a great addition from a defensive standpoint, but you wouldn't fancy his chances of remaining injury-free for an entire campaign.
Kessler was the last of three players Irwin mentioned and would be the best addition among them. He averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game for the Jazz in 2024-25.
Like Claxton and Williams, Kessler doesn't have much of an offensive game but is a terrific defender. The Lakers' potential package for him would center around Dalton Knecht and their 2031 first-round pick, and time will tell if the Jazz find that acceptable.
The Lakers are also interested in bringing in a quality backup, and that would especially be a good idea if they go after Williams. Irwin pointed to Clint Capela and Brook Lopez as two players they're interested in for that role.
Capela averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the Atlanta Hawks in 2024-25. We named Capela as one of the players the Lakers should target with their mid-level exception, and he'd be a solid addition.
Lopez, meanwhile, averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024-25. The Lakers have been linked with the big man, who actually played for them in 2017-18, for quite some time now, but have been unable to acquire him. Will that finally change this offseason? We'll have to wait and watch.
