The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into what could be a pivotal offseason, with a significant amount of cap space potentially becoming available.
Several important contracts are nearing expiration, headlined by LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura.
Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes are also set to hit free agency, while Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart both hold player options. Meanwhile, the futures of Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, and Dalton Knecht remain uncertain.
Lakers reporter Jovan Buha believes Los Angeles should prioritize injecting new talent into the roster, specifically through additions at center and on the wing.
Lakers Expected to Prioritize Center and Wing Upgrades
Speaking during a recent livestream, Buha stated that the Lakers should target a starting-caliber center alongside a young wing, identifying those two positions as the organization’s top offseason priorities.
After Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein thoroughly outplayed Ayton and the Lakers’ frontcourt during Oklahoma City’s second-round sweep, the need for interior reinforcements became impossible to ignore.
The challenge becomes even greater in a loaded Western Conference featuring dominant centers such as Victor Wembanyama with the San Antonio Spurs and Nikola Jokic with the Denver Nuggets.
Buha explained that while a major wing upgrade may ultimately need to come through the trade market, there could still be affordable center options available in free agency capable of making Los Angeles more competitive.
“At least add one more center, or maybe [Deandre Ayton] opts out and then you replace him with a Robert Williams or Mitchell Robinson, something like that,” he said.
“If you could add those two positions, and go into next year with a new center and a new wing, plus Luka [Doncic], Austin [Reaves], and LeBron [James], and also have Marcus [Smart] and Rui [Hachimura] as your sixth and seventh men, I really like that top seven.”
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton had previously identified Williams and Robinson as “realistic possibilities” for the Lakers in unrestricted free agency.
Williams has frequently been linked to Los Angeles because of his defensive presence and rim protection, although durability concerns continue to follow him.
Robinson, meanwhile, could emerge as another intriguing option given his rebounding, physicality, and defensive impact.
LA Could Face Difficult Balancing Act This Offseason
Both Williams and Robinson would bring much-needed toughness to the Lakers’ frontcourt while potentially serving as long-term lob threats alongside Doncic.
Although neither player is considered a traditional star, both have the ability to thrive within specialized roles and could help stabilize a center rotation that has lacked consistency for years.
Buha described Walker Kessler as a dream center target for Los Angeles, although his expected market value and contract situation make a move difficult to envision.
The Lakers reporter acknowledged that this offseason presents a “complicated and a difficult task” for Rob Pelinka and the front office.
Buha also mentioned Jalen Duren as another possibility if the young center were available on a more team-friendly contract following his inconsistent playoff performances.
On the wing, Buha highlighted Peyton Watson and Tari Eason as potential fits, provided the financial side could work.
Still, he made it clear that Los Angeles may ultimately need to rely on the trade market to land a true starting-caliber perimeter upgrade.
In addition, Buha noted that moving contracts such as Vanderbilt, LaRavia, and Knecht could require attaching draft compensation, potentially limiting the Lakers’ flexibility elsewhere.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus previously suggested that Los Angeles could ultimately decide to run things back in the frontcourt by retaining Ayton while continuing to pair him alongside Hayes in the rotation.
That approach would allow the Lakers to preserve greater financial flexibility for perimeter upgrades and, according to Pincus, “may be the more natural solution for the Lakers.”
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