The Lakers’ search for one more piece has shifted into bargain-bin territory, and Kevin Love has emerged as a name to watch.
With the top of the free-agent market already picked clean, any move from here is expected to come on a minimum deal. Los Angeles has already spent the summer making changes, but after striking out on Jonathan Kuminga, the team may need to pivot to a more realistic option for its final addition of the 2026 offseason.
According to NBA insider Ryan Ward, Love is one of the veterans the Lakers could consider.
“Kevin Love is an intriguing option, as he remains unsigned,” wrote Sports Illustrated’s Ryan Ward. “There was speculation earlier in the summer that he’d finally come to Los Angeles after years of him being linked to the team if LeBron James returned to the Lakers, but obviously that didn’t happen.
However, Love is still there for the taking. He’d provide some rebounding, scoring and shooting off the bench, along with giving the team some much-needed championship experience, which only Looney possesses at this point.”
Love is not the only big man in the conversation. Ward also pointed to other possible fits: “Other notable options include Dwight Powell, Bismack Biyombo, Drew Eubanks, Xavier Tillman, and Mason Plumlee.”
The Lakers still have to clear roster space to get under the NBA limit, but there are ways to do it. Trading or waiving players such as Dalton Knecht, Jaden Hardy, and Bronny James would open room for another frontcourt body if that’s the direction they choose.
The appeal of another big is obvious. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves give the Lakers a stable backcourt, so Rob Pelinka’s attention has been on the wings and the interior. Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney give the roster a starting point, but the question is what happens if either one misses time.
Love, now 37, is no longer operating at the level that made him a star, but he still brings real value. He’s a five-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection and an NBA champion, and he can still help in the areas Los Angeles needs most: rebounding, scoring and shooting. Last season, he appeared in 37 games and averaged 6.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.2 blocks while shooting 43.7% from the field.
His path this summer has already taken a few turns. After a brief stint in Utah, Love initially wanted to follow LeBron and join the 76ers.
He also considered going back to Cleveland, where he spent nine years. So far, though, he hasn’t received an offer.
That leaves the Lakers with an opportunity to add a veteran on the cheap. Even in a limited role, Love could give them a boost on the glass and stretch the floor, while also helping younger players like Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero.
For a team still sorting out its final move, the logic is simple: if a low-risk veteran can help, Rob Pelinka has to be ready to act.
In Other News...
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The question is not whether Doncic can pile up points, but how the Lakers want that volume to look over a full season. Windhorst and MacMahon pointed to his scoring last year, his style of play and the ongoing conversation around his conditioning as the key pieces in that equation, which is why this role change feels like more than just a roster adjustment. If it all clicks, Los Angeles could be looking at a version of Doncic that puts him in the middle of something much bigger than a simple scoring chase. [Read more 🡒]
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The Lakers have kept working the edges of their roster this offseason, bringing in Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney while still looking for another center through either a trade or a signing. Even with those additions, the bigger picture remains unsettled, because the frontcourt still has questions and the power forward spot has not been firmly sorted out. That has left Los Angeles open to all kinds of trade ideas as it tries to build something sturdier around its top options.
One possibility under discussion would send PJ Washington into the mix, a move that would give the Lakers another starting-caliber piece while also putting Luka Doncic back in touch with a familiar former teammate. For a team trying to balance fit, size, and lineup clarity, it is the sort of proposal that makes sense on paper even if plenty has to happen before it becomes real. For now, the Lakers are still hunting for the right frontcourt answer, and the market around them keeps offering reminders that one more move could change the look of the whole group. [Read more 🡒]
Walker Kessler May Fix The Lakers Problem Luka Needs Solved
After locking in Austin Reaves on a four-year, $185 million deal, the Lakers kept working on the roster around Luka Doncic by adding Walker Kessler from the Jazz in a sign-and-trade. It is a clear attempt to sharpen the teams frontcourt after last seasons need for more reliable play at center, with Kessler arriving as the kind of defensive presence Los Angeles has been chasing.
For a team built around Doncics ability to bend defenses, the fit is obvious on paper. Kessler is seen as a potential upgrade in the middle and a cleaner complement to a star who can create offense at a high level, but the real question is how quickly the Lakers can turn a long-standing weakness into something dependable enough to matter when the games tighten up. [Read more 🡒]