The Lakers still have work to do before next season tips off, even after shaking up the roster around Luka Doncic. Los Angeles has already added Walker Kessler and signed Kevon Looney, but the center spot still looks like a place where one injury could create real problems.
That concern has kept the Lakers active in the big-man market. As Dan Woike of The Athletic reported, the team is still keeping tabs on available centers.
He wrote, "The Lakers are still monitoring the market for big men, team sources told The Athletic," adding, "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 idea floated by Lake Show Life’s Svyatoslav Rovenchuk would send Jaden Hardy to the Houston Rockets for Clint Capela. Rovenchuk pointed to the contract math as part of what makes the deal workable, writing, "The money on someone like Jaden Hardy matches up easily with Capela's $7 million.
That trade would be doable tomorrow, if both sides wanted it. Granted, there might be some level of discussion around draft capital that is warranted there. $7 million for a third-string center is an expensive insurance policy to keep around behind Alperen Sengun and Adams.
If the Rockets believe in the health of the latter being recouped and recovered, there is sense to exploring what Capela could be worth," Rovenchuk wrote.
For the Lakers, the appeal is straightforward. Capela gives them a true backup center, the kind of rim-running big who can finish above the basket and thrive next to Doncic in pick-and-roll action. He would also give Doncic another reliable lob target, something that matters when the offense needs easy points.
Capela has made $137 million throughout his career so far, and the fit in Los Angeles is easy to see if the Lakers decide they want another center before opening night.
In Other News...
Luka Doncic Made One Opponent Regret Chirping At Him
Rookie Matas Buzelis ended up with a quick lesson in why trash talk can backfire when it reaches Luka Doncic in the middle of a game. The Bulls forward spoke about the moment on the Cousins show with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, recalling how he chirped at Doncic only to see the Lakers star respond by taking over the matchup and making the exchange feel one-sided in a hurry.
Buzelis said the experience showed how hard it is to keep talking while also backing it up on the floor, even against a player as polished as Doncic. He did not sound interested in changing his approach, though, making clear that his assertive style is part of who he is, which suggests this kind of back-and-forth could come up again the next time he shares a court with one of the leagues toughest competitors. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Just Got A Better Shot At Jonathan Kuminga
Jonathan Kumingas free agency picture tightened again after the five-team deal that sent Peyton Watson from Denver to Cleveland. The move matters beyond the immediate trade pieces because it reshapes the market around one of the summers more watched young forwards, and it gives the Lakers a clearer sense of who they are really bidding against as the negotiations drag on.
For Los Angeles, the opening is simple enough: fewer teams in the mix can only help as the front office weighs salary-cap math and trade assets against the kind of upside Kuminga brings. The chase is still unsettled, and the Lakers know they are not alone in it, but the landscape around the former first-rounder looks a little more favorable than it did before the Nuggets trade set off the latest round of movement. [Read more 🡒]