After trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic a couple of weeks before the trade deadline, the Lakers knew they were going to need a center. They were going to trade for Mark Williams before deciding to fail his physical.
Because of that failed physical, the Lakers had to use Jaxon Hayes as their starting center for the second half of the season. After being bounced in the first round of the playoffs, it’s very clear that they need someone better.
The Lakers will be on the lookout for a center who can defend the rim and catch lobs. With Doncic handling the ball, he is going to be able to give any center a ton of easy looks at the rim.
The Lakers won’t have a lot of options when it comes to free agency because of their cap situation. That doesn’t mean that they won’t be able to find someone to come in.
One option could be Hawks center Clint Capela. Capela is the exact archetype of a center that they want. He can protect the rim, rebound well, and catch lobs.
The big issue is whether or not the Lakers still consider him a starting-caliber center. He lost a lot of time to Onyeka Okongwu late in the season, and the Hawks clearly see him as the future.
Los Angeles might not think that Capela is good enough to start for them, either. The issue is that they would likely have to give up much more for another center who is slightly better.
The Lakers would look to move Austin Reaves if they could get a top-tier big man, but Capela likely doesn’t fall under that umbrella. They would need to get a better center in exchange for him.
Getting a center who can help anchor the defense is going to be the top priority for the Lakers this summer. They will certainly be making calls to multiple teams over the course of the offseason to get a deal done.
