The Los Angeles Lakers enter the 2026 postseason as one of the franchises with a high-stakes position.
The front office will have to navigate significant roster construction challenges while aiming to build a contender around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James if he stays.
There will be several great foreign markets.
The Lakers will be active in that department, and one player they will reportedly keep an eye on is Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu.
According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, Dosunmu could fit into the backcourt mix. However, Buha felt the guard may not directly address Los Angeles’ most pressing needs.
“Ayo can fit into that build,” Buha said on the “Lakers Collective” podcast. “But I think the two biggest needs, which has been the Lakers’ two biggest needs going on quite a while. They need a better starting center and they need a, I think a true two-way wing in that 6-7 to 6-9 range.”
The Lakers have struggled with wing play and interior presence for years They lost Anthony Davis to acquire Doncic and added DeAndre Ayton last summer. But there have been a lot of questions about Ayton’s fit in the team as well as consistent rim protection, rebounding, and spacing from the five spot.
Could the Los Angeles Lakers Swoop in For Dosunmu?
GettyAyo Dosunmu of the Minnesota Timberwolves
The free agency market doesn’t always provide the most needed stars. However, franchises could look for the best-fit players.
Buha believes while the Lakers’ targets should include athletic bigs and lengthy wings, opportunistic additions like Dosunmu could provide immediate production and depth without sacrificing too much flexibility.
“Then I think from a pure talent perspective, I would go with Ayo,” Buha added. “I think there’s the sweet spot of need and talent but once you can’t find that player, then you have to just go with who is the best player available, who is actually going to provide a certain amount of talent and production and add skill to our group. Ayo would 100% check that box.”
Dosunmu, 26, has been outstanding in recent months and has been one of the best players for the Timberwolves this postseason. He averaged 21.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the first round against the Denver Nuggets with the majority of his games starting from the bench.
Minnesota got him from the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline, sending out Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and multiple second-round picks in the deal. They won’t want to lose him for nothing this summer but will have to acknowledge the fact that Dosunmu is set for a significant raise.
L.A. Faced With Harsh Reality
The fine print for the Lakers is that what they need are pieces that can take them close to contention. Their second round playoff exit exposed their liabilities and the gap to the top.
The issue of inconsistent rim protection, perimeter defense lapses and a lack of depth and secondary creators.
It almost looked like their exit from the playoffs was set in stone when Doncic and Reaves went out injured in early April. They managed to eliminate the Houston Rockets in the first round but without Doncic, they didn’t look a bit competitive against the Oklahoma City Thunder in round two.
Now they will be back again looking for another piece and they will hope not to get it wrong this time. Linked with names like Dosunmu is certainly a step in the right direction.
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