Following the acquisition of Deandre Ayton via buyout, the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be doubling down on their bid to shore up rim defense and frontcourt depth. Ayton’s arrival addresses their starting center gap around Luka Doncic and LeBron James, but with concerns still looming around consistency and durability, Los Angeles has reportedly set its sights on a proven interior presence: Robert Williams III.
Sources indicate that the Lakers are now one of the major favorites to land Williams, potentially surpassing contenders like Golden State, Milwaukee, and Boston. L.A. has already initiated trade talks with the Portland Trail Blazers regarding the former All-Defensive center, and insiders report Williams remains firmly on their list of top trade targets for the position.
While Williams brings elite shot-blocking instincts, lob threat ability, and pick-and-roll savvy, his injury history casts a shadow over his availability; he’s averaged fewer than 40 games in five of seven NBA seasons. That makes any potential deal a high-reward, high-risk swing, but one that the Lakers may feel is worth attempting, given their championship aspirations and Ayton’s role as the only capable big man.
Therefore, we explore three distinct trade scenarios through which L.A. could realistically acquire Williams III to serve as Ayton’s backup for immediate depth improvement.
The Most Likely Accepted Trade Offer Involving A Pick
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Robert Williams III
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, 2032 Second-Round Pick
In this scenario, the Lakers acquire Robert Williams III, sending Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, and a 2032 second-round pick to Portland. This aligns with expectations; Blazers are believed to demand “multiple second-round picks” when trading Williams. Including Knecht as a promising rookie and Vincent, a veteran guard, adds tangible value alongside draft capital.
For L.A., this deal accomplishes multiple goals. Robert Williams brings elite rim protection. He averaged 5.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 1.7 BPG in just 17.6 minutes per game while shooting 64.1% in 2024-25 with Portland, showing impact in limited time.
Filling the Laker’s backup center role behind Ayton, his defensive drops and rebounding give them a certified anchor. From Portland’s perspective, Gabe Vincent provides experience; he averaged about 7.2 PPG, 2.0 APG, and nearly 0.7 steals per game over six seasons.
Knecht, the 2024 first-round pick, averaged 9.1 PPG on .461/.376 shooting, emerging as a shot-creator and 3-point threat in limited minutes. Combined with future draft flexibility, this package could satisfy Portland’s asking price while offloading injury risk tied to Williams.
A Simple And Two-For-One Swap
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Robert Williams III
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber
This package sends Dalton Knecht and Maxi Kleber to Portland for Williams. It streamlines the deal, no picks or extra guards, making it cleaner from a Lakers salary and roster standpoint. Kleber, as a veteran big man and long-range shooter, helps with trade matching and adds frontcourt depth for Portland immediately.
For L.A., giving up Kleber is less painful than parting with Vincent, as Kleber has been a more expendable rotational cover, especially with Ayton and Jaxson Hayes on the roster. And Knecht remains a promising young talent: as a rookie, he averaged about 9.1 PPG on 37.6% from deep, with 2.8 RPG in 19.2 minutes per game.
If he continues to develop, L.A. would feel comfortable packaging him, knowing they’re upgrading in the frontcourt now with Williams. For Portland, acquiring Kleber (a stretch big) and the upside of Knecht gives them both depth and a youth piece. Given Williams’ injury history, they’re likely reluctant to retain him long-term alone; they may prefer a roster upgrade that contributes right away, rather than waiting on Knecht’s ceiling or relying solely on draft capital.
The Deal The Lakers Would Probably Want To Avoid
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Robert Williams III
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt
Here, Portland would receive Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt for Williams. The inclusion of Vanderbilt, a high-energy defender and versatile forward, diminishes the Lakers’ frontcourt balance, and losing two youngsters isn’t the ideal situation.
This would also crowd the frontcourt logjam while sending Williams’ backup role to someone with significantly overlapping skillsets. Vanderbilt logged only about 15-16 minutes per game with limited offensive upside, while Knecht offers shooting and development potential, but giving up both players removes flexibility and continuity for L.A.
The Lakers would probably want to acquire Williams if it means losing Knecht, but including Vanderbilt ahead of veterans like Vincent or Kleber makes this deal a little more unlikely for them. That means Rob Pelinka will want to use one of the first two trades rather than this one, although Portland might value this deal most.
