The Lakers still aren’t done tinkering with their roster, and the center spot keeps coming back into focus. Los Angeles has already added Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney, but there’s a clear belief around the team that one more big man might still be necessary before opening night.
Tyler Watts of Lake Show Life pointed to the risk of heading into the season with only two true centers.
“This signing was a gamble. Loon was a replacement-level player last season.
The Lakers clearly believe he will be better, but they need another option. Going into the season with just two true centers is a problem.
If Kessler is forced to miss time, the Lakers have serious issues on defense and at the five,” Watts wrote.
That concern lines up with reporting from The Athletic’s Dan Woike, who said Los Angeles is still keeping tabs on the market.
“The Lakers are still monitoring the market for big men, team sources told The Athletic," The Athletic's Dan Woike reported." They traded for Walker Kessler and signed Kevon Looney to play center, and Mamukelashvili can play the position, too.
The team could address the position either by trade or signing, like with potentially adding Thybulle. The roster is currently at full capacity."
One possible path would involve a larger trade before the season starts. Heavy.com’s Adel Ahmad floated a three-team deal that would send Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt and additional assets out of Los Angeles in exchange for Myles Turner.
Under Ahmad’s proposal, the Lakers would get Turner, Kevin Porter Jr. and a 2031 second-round pick via Houston, with Atlanta swap rights. Milwaukee would receive Vanderbilt, Knecht and second-round picks in 2031 and 2032, while Houston would land Jake LaRavia and Jaden Hardy.
Ahmad wrote:
“Lakers receive: Myles Turner, Kevin Porter Jr. and a 2031 second round pick (via HOU, with ATL swap rights). Bucks receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and second round picks in 2031 and 2032 (both from LAL, with WAS swap rights). Rockets receive: Jake LaRavia and Jaden Hardy,” Ahmad wrote.
A move like that would give the Lakers a proven center and another strong fit next to Luka Doncic as a pick-and-roll partner and rim runner. Turner has earned $165 million so far in his career, and with Milwaukee moving into the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era, the idea of bringing back younger pieces could make sense for the Bucks.
The trade scenario could also open the door for Los Angeles to play Kessler and Turner together, giving the team a two-big look that would create another headache for opponents.
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For teams like the Lakers, that kind of standoff is worth tracking closely. Los Angeles is always alert to center options, and if Duren ever reaches the market, the list of possible suitors could include not just Detroits rivals in Charlotte and Golden State, but also a Lakers club that knows frontcourt upgrades are rarely easy to find. For now, the situation is still in negotiation, but it has the feel of a move that could ripple well beyond Detroit. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Lakers, the appeal is obvious. They have already put a deal on the table worth around $45 million, and adding a young, athletic wing with room to grow would fit both the present and future better than a simple short-term move. The remaining hurdle is getting all the moving parts aligned, and until that happens, Kumingas next step stays one of the more closely watched pieces of the teams offseason. [Read more 🡒]