The Lakers are heading into free agency with a long shopping list and, at least for now, a wide-open board. League chatter has already tied Los Angeles to a mix of rim protection, shooting and wing defense, with several names surfacing as Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET start gets closer.
One of the biggest targets is Walker Kessler. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Jazz restricted free agent center is lined up to meet with three teams Tuesday night after 6 PM ET at the Los Angeles offices of his CAA representatives, and the Lakers are strongly believed to be one of them.
Los Angeles has chased Kessler for years, even putting multiple trade offers on the table in the past, but Utah’s asking price kept him out of reach. This time, the Lakers could try to land him without surrendering assets - though the Jazz can match any offer.
Utah is said to have offered Kessler a five-year, $140 million deal, while Kessler wants even more. In five games before a torn labrum in his left shoulder ended his 2025-26 season, he averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.
He also hit 6-8 (75.0%) from three, flashing a new layer to his game that only makes him more appealing.
Sandro Mamukelashvili is another frontcourt name connected to Los Angeles. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday that Mamukelashvili is turning down his $2.8 million player option for 2026-27 with the Toronto Raptors, sending him into free agency.
The Athletic’s Dan Woike later noted that multiple league sources had linked the Lakers to the Toronto forward/center. Mamukelashvili posted 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks per game in 2025-26, and Fischer added that he’s expected to draw multiple offers north of $10 million in average annual value after passing on a player option worth less than $3 million.
Fischer also confirmed the Lakers as a notable suitor. If he ends up in Los Angeles, that could have a ripple effect elsewhere, especially after Charania reported that Deandre Ayton is opting into his $8.1 million player option for 2026-27.
The Lakers are also showing interest in Gary Trent Jr., who declined his $3.9 million player option for 2026-27 with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. Chris Haynes reported the Lakers are among the teams eyeing the shooter.
Trent averaged 8.1 points, 1.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.5 steals per game last season, while shooting 36.0% from three. Even with that number, he could look better in a steadier situation alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, especially as a bench spark rather than a starter.
Dean Wade rounds out the group. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that the Lakers are one of several teams interested in the Cleveland Cavaliers forward, who could draw the full MLE and trigger a bidding war.
Siegel listed the Pistons, Spurs, Lakers, Nets and 76ers among the teams in the mix. Wade averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks per game in 2025-26, and his 3-and-D profile is exactly the sort of skill set that tends to move fast once free agency opens.
In Other News...
Jazz Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Center Situation
Jusuf Nurkic is back in Utah, giving the Jazz a familiar insurance policy at center after stepping in during Walker Kesslers injury. The move makes clear the front office wants some stability behind Kessler, and it also gives the roster a proven option if the depth chart gets shuffled again.
Nurkics return also gives the Jazz a bit more breathing room as they sort out their long-term plan in the middle. The organization still appears intent on keeping both centers in the fold, but with one piece of the puzzle still needing to be settled, Utah has at least made sure it is not caught flat-footed. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Have A Free Agency Decision Fans Will Definitely Debate
The Jazz head into free agency with about $15 million in non-taxpayer mid-level exception space, and the front offices first priority remains clear: getting restricted free agent Walker Kessler back in the fold. From there, Utah has a familiar kind of decision to make, weighing whether to use the rest of that flexibility on a veteran who can help now or keep its powder dry for longer-term roster building. Marcus Smart, Matisse Thybulle, Gary Payton II and Tobias Harris all fit different needs, which is part of what makes this such a real debate for a team trying to sharpen its identity.
Smart brings the kind of edge and playoff experience that can change a locker room, even if Utah would not be the presumed favorite in that chase. Thybulle is the pure defensive specialist of the group, Payton offers similar backcourt resistance, and Harris would give the Jazz a more established scoring option on the wing or front line. Utah was tied to Harris before, too, which adds another layer to a decision that is less about chasing names than finding the right veteran fit around a young core. [Read more 🡒]