The critics may use the Los Angeles Lakers’ strength of schedule to diminish the team’s fast start to the 2026 season, but the fact of the matter is that the Lakers find themselves with the best record in the NBA at 10-2 after Monday’s win over the Atlanta Hawks pushed them to their sixth consecutive victory.
Of course, Luka Doncic’s play has a lot to do with L.A.’s early success, with the 27-year-old superstar playmaker once again making a strong, steady case for the NBA MVP award, though the Lakers still have 70 of 82 games left to play. What would undoubtedly elevate the Lakers and the play of Doncic even more is finding a quality big man to slot behind star center Walker Kessler.
Lakers Urged to Go After Often-Rumored Trade Target
Through 12 games, Kessler, one of the marquee offseason acquisitions around the NBA, has looked like he was worth the price of multiple first-round picks. The 25-year-old center is averaging nearly 15 points per game and over two blocks per game as he continues to establish himself as one of the league’s premier rim protectors. But when the going gets tough — *ahem … those knock-out, drag-out playoff games where depth is king — L.A. cannot afford to have only one playable true center.
“Insider Jake Fisher reported during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio that the team would be interested in acquiring Jericho Sims from the Milwaukee Bucks,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston. “Sims is a low-cost center with great athleticism, who could provide depth behind Walker Kessler at a key position. He has not been utilized to his fullest potential this season and a fresh start, for a team who could benefit from his abilities, would be best for him.”
Sims, 27, has been frequently mentioned in Lakers trade rumors dating back to the start of this past offseason. While Sims shouldn’t be considered a potential game-changer by any means, his lob-threat ability and sheer athleticism would give the Lakers a potentially dependable back up center and someone who could hold the fort down in the minutes Kessler is off the floor.
L.A. Held Talks With Milwaukee for Sims
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Lakers looked hard at Sims ahead of the trade deadline in February. According to a report by “The Stein Line,” the Lakers held exploratory trade talks involving Sims before the start of the regular season, with L.A. aiming to move forward Dalton Knecht, now of the New York Knicks, in the process.
“Considering the Lakers are already over the cap, and do not have a wealth of protected draft picks to send in return for a higher-profile player, finding low-cost hidden gems like Sims who can fill areas of need is in the best interest of the organization and its front office now and leading up to the trade deadline,” Beaston wrote.
It would be interesting to see what assets the Lakers would have to surrender to acquire Sims in a trade. Last month, NBA insider Brett Siegel reported that L.A. “approached the Bucks about a deal” for Sims. Siegel added that the Bucks “had not been all that receptive to such a move with LA for just a single second-round pick.”
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