The early stages of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 2026-27 season have been dominated by concerns surrounding their lack of frontcourt depth.
Kevon Looney joined the franchise on a one-year, veteran minimum contract during the offseason, but has struggled to establish himself in head coach JJ Redick‘s rotation.
Through the opening five games, the veteran center has largely fallen out of favor, leaving the Lakers searching for reliable options behind Walker Kessler.
Sandro Mamukelashvili has handled the bulk of the frontcourt minutes off the bench, while out-of-favor forward Jarred Vanderbilt made his first appearance of the season in Wednesday night’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Lakers Urged to Explore Trade for Brooklyn Nets Center
Prior to their win over the Clippers, the Lakers ranked among the NBA’s bottom 10 teams in defensive rating, having repeatedly struggled to contain opponents in the paint and on the glass.
Rob Pelinka and the front office have already taken steps to address those concerns, reshuffling their two-way roster spots to bring in seven-foot center Lawson Lovering.
However, ClutchPoints’ Jedd Pagaduan believes Los Angeles should look beyond its developmental options and explore the trade market for a more established center.
Pagaduan identified Brooklyn Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe as a potential target, particularly with injuries to Anthony Edwards and Jalen Williams potentially opening up the Western Conference playoff picture.
“At the very least, trading for Day’Ron Sharpe would give the Lakers an athletic backup center who just does his job on the court — rebound the ball and block shots. LA most likely will have to go through the San Antonio Spurs if they were to compete for a title, and they will need size and depth at the five to help combat Victor Wembanyama,” Pagaduan wrote.
Sharpe is currently in the first year of a two-year, $20 million contract with Brooklyn, earning $10 million this season.
The agreement also includes a $10 million team option for the 2027-28 campaign, potentially giving Los Angeles some financial flexibility if it were to pursue the 24-year-old.
If the team exercises that option, Sharpe would be on course to enter free agency in the summer of 2028.
Day’Ron Sharpe Could Offer LA Much-Needed Frontcourt Depth
Sharpe’s contract structure could make him an appealing trade target for the Lakers, who would be reluctant to commit significant long-term money to another frontcourt player.
If a potential move failed to deliver the desired results, Los Angeles could decline his team option next summer rather than remain tied to a longer-term agreement.
However, the cost of acquiring Sharpe remains unclear.
The Lakers have several contracts that could potentially feature in trade discussions, including Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Collin Sexton ($9.3 million), Jake LaRavia ($6 million) and Jaden Hardy ($6 million).
Any potential deal would depend on Brooklyn’s asking price and the Lakers’ willingness to part with additional assets.
Sharpe has made a solid start to the 2026-27 season, averaging 7.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 block across four appearances.
The 6-foot-10 center is shooting 52.2% from the field while playing 21.5 minutes per game.
Although his three-point shooting remains a limited part of his offensive game, Sharpe has converted two of his four attempts from beyond the arc this season.
He also enjoyed a productive 2025-26 campaign with Brooklyn, averaging a career-high 8.7 points alongside 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 18.7 minutes across 62 appearances.
Sharpe would not necessarily provide a significant offensive upgrade, but his rebounding, physicality and presence around the rim could address some of the Lakers’ early-season weaknesses.
As a relatively low-usage center, he could offer valuable minutes behind Kessler, easing the workload on the starting big man while giving Redick another dependable option in the paint.
Lakers Urged to Move for $20 Million Center Amid Frontcourt Struggles