The Los Angeles Lakers are still in search of a backup center, and recent reporting indicates the team is ready to make a trade to add someone to play behind Walker Kessler and add a bit of rim protection and defensive help.
With that, one name that was recently brought up as a new Lakers trade target is Kel’el Ware of the Milwaukee Bucks. He is still in his rookie contract, and being one of the most efficient rebounders in the NBA today, if Los Angeles could land him, he would be one of the best available big men to upgrade the roster.
Along with Ware, the Lakers have been linked to centers like Jericho Sims, Moussa Cisse, and Jalen Smith, but when it comes to trading for someone who is a perfect fit for the role the front office is looking for, making Ware the team’s next top trade target might be the best direction to take.
Lakers Trade Rumors: Kel’el Ware Named New Big Man Target
Speaking on the latest episode of his show, Lakers reporter Jovan Buha named Ware as the team’s next trade target. He was dealt to the Bucks in the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, but after spending the first two seasons of his career with the Miami Heat, he’s one of the most efficient centers in the NBA, with some untapped upside that Los Angeles can still unlock.
“I think he can play with Kessler. You can also play with Mamu, and it does give you an element of size, rebounding, rim protection. That backline of Ware and Kessler is scary,” he said. “I think that the interesting thing with Ware is how young he is and how talented he is. He could be more of the four or like the Jaren Jackson Jr. type in this scenario.”
In 145 career games so far, Ware has averaged 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.1 blocks, and 0.7 steals in 22.1 minutes on 54.1/36.5/71.4 shooting splits.
As it relates to a trade package, Buha believes the Lakers could send out a first-round pick swap and a few seconds for Ware. The Bucks have multiple centers on the roster, and the potential trade target is only playing 19.3 minutes per game so far this season, so Milwaukee could deal him if it means adding more draft assets.
“He was third or fourth in my offseason center rankings for the Lakers. So, I’m on board. Would I empty the clip for him? Potentially,” he added. “I would for sure give up the [pick] swap plus a second or two [second-round picks], and I would for sure give up the three seconds. Like, if either one of those was enough to get him, I would do it. Would I fully unload the clip? Maybe, maybe.”
The Lakers might need to include a matching salary, perhaps that of Jaden Hardy in a Ware trade. But if he becomes available, he could be the best trade target on the market, as he’s set to earn just $4.6 million this season with a team option for $7.1 million next year.
Los Angeles Has Other Center Targets
Along with mentioning Ware as a Lakers trade target, Buha threw out several other names in the mix who could be available as a backup center option for Los Angeles.
Cisse of the Dallas Mavericks has been tabbed as a name the Lakers have eyes for over the past few weeks. If Dallas were to have waived him instead of Dwight Powell, it was expected the franchise would target him as a free agent. However, still on the Mavericks’ roster, he remains a name the Lakers could go after if Dallas gets its other frontcourt players back healthy.
“To me, Moussa Cisse – I don’t wanna overrate Moussa Cisse – but I think he’s the exact type of big that would just eat with the Lakers,” Buha said. “And he would be a dynamic lob threat with Luka and Austin, and he just has to screen, roll, finish. He could do that.”
“He’s also a solid rebounder and rim protector, at least by bench-big standards,” Buha continued. “So to me, Moussa Cisse, like, you’re not asking for the moon. You’re not asking to draft an Aday Mara. You’re not asking to add Mitchell Robinson to the bench…Keeping it realistic with a minimum-level player, Moussa Cisse is the archetype to me.”
Ware’s Milwaukee teammate, Sims, is an intriguing option, as the Lakers were already in trade talks for him when Dalton Knecht was still on the roster. The Bucks denied a deal, but if Rob Pelinka is throwing a different player in the offer, perhaps that could change things for Milwaukee.
“You can make a similar case for Jericho Sims,” Buha noted. “I think Cisse’s better defensively than Sims, but that general archetype, I think, would go a long way with the Lakers bench and just with what they need.”
As time goes on, it’s becoming clearer that the Lakers are ready to make a trade to add a true backup center instead of playing Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney in those minutes. It was evident Knecht wasn’t moving the needle, but perhaps packaging someone like Hardy or Bronny James along with some minor draft assets could be enough for the front office to pull off a deal for one of their trade targets, regardless of whether it’s Ware, Sims, Cisse, or anyone else of a similar caliber.
Lakers Linked In Trade Rumors To Efficient Center On Bargain Contract As Top Target