The Los Angeles Lakers are still in need of a true backup center to play behind Walker Kessler, and while recent rumors emerged about the front office going after free agent Dwight Powell, he’s no longer on the board, and a trade might be the only way for the team to find a true frontcourt upgrade.
With that, Jalen Smith of the Chicago Bulls has been named a Lakers trade target since the offseason, and after Powell just signed a deal to play in Europe, Los Angeles was recently urged to revisit the potential of adding Smith.
The Bulls big man was previously deemed a ‘no problem’ center for the Lakers to go after, and he is averaging a strong 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in just 23.4 minutes through five games this season in Chicago, making only $9.4 million this year.
Lakers Urged To Revisit Jalen Smith As Trade Target
Over the past few games, it’s become clear that the Lakers can’t use veteran Kevon Looney as a backup center in the minutes when Kessler is on the court, and along with Smith, a few other players have been mentioned as potential trade targets to fill that role.
However, Smith was previously mentioned as a name Los Angeles should pursue this summer, as Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com wrote when the Lakers faced the Dalton Knecht roster-cut situation.
“Jalen Smith is the type of player that would make sense for LA to target in this scenario since he’s in the final year of his contract,” he discussed.
Siegel wrote that when Knecht was still on the team, the Lakers could have packaged Jaden Hardy and Bronny James in a trade if the Bulls were interested in adding both.
Additionally, Maxwell Ogden believes Smith might be the best option available for the Lakers to add a true upgrade at the center position, regardless of what they’d be forced to give up.
“As such, the Lakers should be doing a thorough evaluation of Smith and how legitimate his breakout is relative to what they need from a center,” he wrote. “As a floor-spacing big, Smith could help the Lakers optimize their offensive system with Doncic and Austin Reaves thriving as downhill scorers and playmakers. Smith could also play next to center Walker Kessler against two-big lineups, as well as Sandro Mamukelashvili if he proves himself on defense.”
Smith might be a bit undersized, but for what he brings to the table and what the Lakers need right now, he could be a perfect fit.
“Los Angeles was linked to Smith earlier this year when Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that he “has some fans within the organization.” That by no means guarantees that the Lakers will pursue a trade, nor does it make him an easily definable fit,” Ogden added. “In the event that the Lakers land on Smith as their ideal trade target, however, they’d be getting a skilled big who at least fits a Luka Doncic system on paper.”
There might be a few other Lakers trade targets available, but Smith might be the biggest upside name out of all the players mentioned who could be playing in the Purple and Gold by the trade deadline; it just comes down to how Chicago values him and what Los Angeles might be forced to give up to add him.
Los Angeles Loses Out On Top Free Agent Target, Other Candidates Remain
As mentioned, despite the rumors about Powell as a potential free agent target, he’s now off the board for the Lakers, having recently signed a deal with Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague.
Previously, Jovan Buha mentioned him as a name the Lakers could go after. Though the team was interested in Moussa Cisse, the Dallas Mavericks picked him over Powell for their final roster spot.
“I think they probably have to address it via trade ultimately,” Buha said of the Lakers’ hole at the backup center position. “But if they want to – like, yeah, I made the analogy with Dwight Powell being a Band-Aid, but you might need a Band-Aid until the trade deadline. So maybe you do go Dwight Powell.”
While Powell is now out of reach, there are a few other low-level free agents the Lakers could go after. Granted, the team would likely need to waive Hardy or James to land one of them, so perhaps going after another two-way player could be the smarter move.
The Lakers recently swapped two-way players Lawson Lovering for AK Okereke, but as Chris Lambert wrote, there are a couple of other eligible big men who could have, and still might, be better options to fill the hole in the depth chart.
He named Jesse Edwards, Adama Sanogo, and Ibou Badji as three names Los Angeles could have signed over Lovering, but could also add by waiving either Chris Manon or Arthur Kaluma.
For now, the Lakers are still in need of a backup big man, and Smith might be the best option available. A trade could be tough considering his strong start for Chicago, but he would significantly upgrade the ceiling of the team’s frontcourt, especially as it would give them a solid player to take the non-Kessler minutes, which remains a huge concern five games into the season.
Lakers Could Make Risky Big Man Trade After Losing Out On Top Free Agent