The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a slow start in NBA free agency. While they did sign Jake LaRavia early on, the team has not made any highly impactful moves.
One big disappointment for the Lakers was watching Dorian Finney-Smith leave town to sign with the Houston Rockets on a four-year, $53 million contract. Losing him was a key subtraction from the defensive side of the court for Los Angeles.
Looking ahead to the future, there are a couple of major needs for the Lakers to focus on. One of those needs is finding a legitimate starting center, while adding more perimeter defense will also be a necessity.
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Deandre Ayton is one name that has come up as an option for Los Angeles. He was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers and will clear waivers on Wednesday.
Read more: Report: Warriors Showing Interest in Damian Lillard
While Ayton is a strong option for the Lakers, the team has discussed trades for three different centers.
According to a report from NBA reporter Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Los Angeles has talked trades regarding Nick Richards, Robert Williams III, and Yves Missi.
Richards was previously connected to the Lakers by NBA insider Michael Scotto. Siegel doubling down on the report is interesting.
During the 2024-25 NBA season, Richards played in 57 games between the Charlotte Hornets and Phoenix Suns. He averaged 9.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and a block per game.
Williams has not played in more than 35 games since the 2021-22 season and has a long injury history. Last season with the Trail Blazers, he averaged 5.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.1 assists in 20 games and three starts.
Read more: Jake LaRavia Sends First Message to Lakers Fans After Free Agency Deal
Missi is an intriguing 21-year-old center who played his rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans last season. He appeared in 73 games and made 67 starts, producing 9.1 points per game to go along with 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 54.7 percent from the floor.
All three options would be solid additions for Los Angeles. They aren’t star caliber names, but would all be stop-gap center options and upgrades over Jaxson Hayes from last season.
Expect to hear a lot of rumors surrounding the Lakers in the coming hours and days. These three names are worth monitoring as possible trade options for Rob Pelinka as the offseason moves forward.
For more on the Los Angeles Lakers and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.