While teams with enticing picks rocked the 2025 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves with the same old problem. They are still to find a befitting player who could play at the center position.
While they have been struggling to find one for months after the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, rival teams want to make the most out of it.
With free agency set to begin in July, the team is concentrating on trade discussions, primarily aimed at securing a center. Unfortunately, they have encountered significant hurdles, particularly with teams leveraging the Lakers’ need to acquire a big man.
According to insider Anthony Irwin, the rival teams are aware of the Lakers’ urgency and are often inflating trade demands. The Hawks, for instance, are asking for more than what the Lakers are willing to provide for Clint Capela.
“Teams knew how desperate the Lakers were to add a center and *started* asking prices at the Mark Williams package, often asking more. The Lakers don’t want to be taken advantage of. They view Capela is starting-quality,” he wrote(Via Twitter).
Teams recognize the Lakers are “desperate” for a center and are asking for more assets to “take advantage of them”, per @AnthonyIrwinLA pic.twitter.com/NeZrqSPdMA
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 29, 2025
Since trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, the Lakers have struggled in the frontcourt. They had to rely on players like Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber, which ultimately led to their early playoff exit. The front office’s priority is clearly to find competent replacements for this gap.
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Lakers Might Trade Away Key Pieces To Fill Center Court Gap
The Lakers had a pretty solid season for 2024-25, finishing with a 50-32 record and snagging the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, their playoff journey was cut short in a surprising first-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It was a tough pill to swallow, especially since this loss left their big issue flat open for the Lakers. Now, with the offseason heating up, the pressure is on the front office to make some bold moves to fill this critical gap.
According to NBA insider Dave McMenamin, there’s talk that the Lakers might shake things up by trading away some key players. This includes forward Rui Hachimura, who’s on a hefty $51 million contract, and guard Gabe Vincent, whose salary is $33 million.
They’re also considering parting ways with young guard Dalton Knecht and veteran big man Maxi Kleber as they look to beef up their frontcourt.
Also Read: Lakers Emerge As Favorites To Land Three-Time All-Star Center In Potential Trade
