The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to make one final trade ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, and all signs point to the team moving either Jaden Hardy or Dalton Knecht, the two top candidates to be waived, in an effort to land a backup center.
With that, one name recently mentioned in Lakers trade rumors is Moussa Cisse of the Dallas Mavericks. That franchise is also dealing with the same roster dilemma, and if Dallas decides to send Cisse packing or make him available in a trade, he could very well end up in Los Angeles.
Though a trade could happen, the Lakers could also waive Knecht and Hardy to get Cisse to play backup center behind Walker Kessler, as reports signal the athletic big man has a very uncertain future with the Mavericks.
Lakers Moussa Cisse Trade Idea
With the recent report from NBA insider Marc Stein about Dallas’ expected preference for Dwight Powell over Cisse for the team’s final roster spot, the second-year big man could become available in a trade for the Lakers.
Writing for FadeawayWorld.com, Siddhant Gupta proposed a Lakers trade idea to land Cisse for a price the front office would likely be willing to pay for a new backup big man.
Here’s the framework for a deal:
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Moussa Cisse
Dallas Mavericks receive: Jaden Hardy
“As a defensive-minded center, Cisse is capable of anchoring the second unit defense with his rim protection. In that regard, his averages of 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in just 13.9 minutes a night last season serve to emphasize this point,” Gupta wrote on the Lakers trade idea for Cisse.
“Although his offensive tools are limited, his value as a lob threat could be brought to the forefront depending on who he’s paired with. Thus, if the Lakers stagger his minutes to play him alongside Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves, L.A. could get more production out of him on both ends of the floor,” the writer added. “On paper, Cisse would be an ideal addition to the Lakers’ big man rotation, ensuring that the second unit doesn’t crumble once Walker Kessler goes to the bench.”
Swapping Hardy and Cisse’s contracts would be relatively simple for both the Lakers and Mavericks. A potential trade like this would likely just come down to whether Dallas would want their old guard back or not. Knecht could also be on the table in a trade swap, but Hardy appears to have higher value around the league, making him the more likely candidate to be moved for Los Angeles to upgrade in the frontcourt.
Los Angeles Could Also Make Roster Move To Land The Athletic Center
While any Lakers trade comes as an intriguing thought, the idea of Los Angeles adding Cisse without bargaining a deal with the Mavericks might be more likely.
As Stein recently reported, there’s a real chance Cisse could be on his way out of Dallas.
“Now would the Mavericks really release, say, center Moussa Cisse to make room for Powell? … That all seemed highly unlikely … until hearing May gush over Powell’s play. The Mavericks could also attempt to create a roster spot via trade.”
Additionally, Lakers reporter Jovan Buha named Cisse as a top target for Los Angeles to go after, as the need for a center to come off the bench has emerged as a necessity for the franchise over the past few weeks.
“I think the most intriguing guy would be Moussa Cisse. I know there’s been some speculation he might be available because Dwight Powell played ahead of him in a Mavericks game,” he said on his Buha’s Block show. “That might be the only guy that I think rises to the level of potentially being a rotation-level player.
All of that being said, the Lakers are dealing with a roster dilemma of their own. In order to get Cisse, Los Angeles would need to waive both Knecht and Hardy to make room for him. Both are the two top candidates to be off the roster by the start of the season, so if moving on from both is the price to pay for adding a player with a real chance to play big minutes, it’s hard to see general manager Rob Pelinka not making that decision.
The Lakers could also sign Cisse to a two-way deal and make room on the roster for him down the road, as Buha also mentioned.
“You could dangle the backup job to Cisse and be like, ‘Hey, we’re gonna sign you on a two-way. We’re obviously gonna save some money, but we’re gonna give you the backup spot,'” he continued. “Assuming you perform well, we will convert you. We’ll waive someone, whoever’s the 15th guy, and then we will convert you at a future date to the roster. But either him on the roster or on a two-way, I think you take that in a heartbeat.”
Cisse would be one of the best backup center candidates for the Lakers right now. He’s athletic, cheap, and can do the dirty work to allow the team’s other stars to shine. He wouldn’t be asked to play a huge role, but having someone like Cisse would give Los Angeles some insurance if Kessler or another big man goes down with an injury at some point this season.
Whether it’s through a trade or waiver addition, rumors are heating up linking the Lakers to Cisse.
Lakers Proposed To Capitalize On Trade Rumors For Cheap Athletic Center