As the 2024-25 season completed in early June, the Los Angeles Lakers once again demonstrated they remain on the cusp, powered by the formidable pairing of LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Their first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, a 103-96 loss, sealed their elimination in Game 5, laying bare the roster’s glaring deficiencies.
With LeBron now in the twilight of his career, likely with one or two seasons remaining, L.A.’s title window is closing fast. Their blueprint ahead: acquire an elite rim-rodding center, find a third star to elevate the ceiling, or inject playmaking depth to allow James to conserve energy.
The frontcourt was once the Lakers’ strength, but the reshuffling of the Anthony Davis trade, the failed Mark Williams deal, and reliance on undersized Jaxson Hayes left them vulnerable defensively and on the boards. Meanwhile, Doncic’s offensive brilliance came with defensive scrutiny; “he couldn’t guard a chair”, as Charles Barkley quipped, reminding us that changes are needed.
With franchise urgency dialed up, L.A. enters this offseason with supreme focus. Here are 10 players who should be at the top of the Lakers’ radar: stars and role players who could solidify this roster and extend L.A.’s window of contention.
1. Lauri Markkanen
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz Receive: Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2025 No. 55 Overall Pick, 2031 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Utah’s 7-footer still profiles as the rare stretch-4/5 who can be the third option on a title team rather than just a floor-spacer. He pumped in 19.0 PPG on 42.3% shooting and 5.9 RPG despite heavy defensive attention on a rudderless Utah Jazz squad.
It could be very possible that Danny Ainge is listening for packages built on first-round equity and young wings, signaling Lauri Markkanen might be available this summer. After all, Utah has the No. 5 pick in the draft and could be looking at a full-scale rebuild.
If Rob Pelinka waves the Reaves-Hachimura-Vanderbilt trio plus a 2031 first, Markkanen slides in as the ultimate Luka-LeBron release valve. Picture the high-side pick-and-pop with Doncic, then pivoting to horns sets where James can rest on the weak side and still warp the defense with his gravity.
2. Walker Kessler
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Walker Kessler
Utah Jazz Receive: Dalton Knecht, 2031 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2025 No. 55 Overall Pick
The Lakers need a rim protector on a rookie deal? Walker Kessler ranked fifth in the league at 12.2 rebounds per game and swatted 2.4 shots a night in a tidy 30.0 minutes per game. While he’s extension-eligible, reports say that Kessler could be made available if a team ponies up a first and a plus prospect, making a deal very probable.
Plug Kessler next to LeBron and Luka, and you instantly fix the Lakers’ 15th-ranked defense. Kessler’s vertical spacing means Doncic can throw lobs over the top of traps, and James can cherry-pick rest possessions knowing the back line is covered. The Reaves-lite playmaking, you lose by moving Dalton Knecht, is outweighed by the genuine anchor you gain in the paint.
3. Deandre Ayton
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Deandre Ayton
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, 2031 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Deandre Ayton’s counting stats dipped, 14.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG on 56.6 FG%, but Portland’s context was a mess, and he still finished top-15 in offensive rebound rate. The rebuilding Blazers would likely listen to offers for a player on a $35.5 million expiring deal, and the Lakers could pounce.
For L.A., Ayton is the high-usage center Anthony Davis used to be, without the nightly injury report. He’ll set brutish cross-screens for Doncic, eat mid-post touches when LeBron sits, and his soft jumper keeps the paint clear for drives. The cap hit is heavy, but if the Lakers believe they’re one star away, a one-year Ayton rental is cheaper than bidding on prime-aged free agents in 2026.
4. Nic Claxton
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Nic Claxton
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, 2031 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Nic Claxton is a switch-everything fever dream: 10.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.2 APG while finishing 56.3% of his shots. We have already floated a three-team concept shipping him to L.A. while Brooklyn grabs Michael Porter Jr., proving the Nets are willing to talk if the sweetener is strong enough.
Stylistically, he’s the anti-Ayton: low-usage, rim-running, and elite at switching 1-through-5. Imagine J.J. Redick rolling out Claxton alongside LeBron and Doncic on the same possession, and suddenly the floor opens up for the stars. Claxton is on a solid deal, as he earns $25.4M, $23.1M, and $20.9M over the next three seasons, so he can fit alongside Doncic in the long term.
5. Clint Capela
The 31-year-old Clint Capela isn’t the nightly 14-14 wrecking ball of 2021, but he still chipped in 8.9 PPG and 8.5 RPG on 55.9 FG% while anchoring Atlanta’s bench units. The Hawks, eyeing Onyeka Okongwu’s ascension, have explored Capela trades since December, and that is why we have already floated the idea of the big man joining Los Angeles.
Capela is the budget-friendly play as he heads to free agency after his $22 million deal expires. He runs the floor, screens well, and lives on the offensive glass, just what Luka’s heliocentric offense needs when defenses blitz him 35 feet out. The downside: no shooting, and he’ll need a short-leash platoon with a stretch big in playoff crunch time.
6. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
A bench gunner with connective passing chops, Nickeil Alexander-Walker quietly averaged 9.4 PPG, 2.7 AST on 38.1 FG% for a deep Minnesota squad. He’s extension-eligible, yet Minnesota’s tax crunch and Anthony Edwards’ super-max on the books make him a plausible cap casualty.
Think of him as the Ty Lue-era Lou Williams to LeBron’s downhill drives: a second-side pick-and-roll creator who can soak up regular-season possessions and keep the bench unit from hemorrhaging points. At $6-7 M in restricted free agency, Alexander-Walker is the best insurance policy against Luka’s ankle hiccups, which is why the Lakers are reportedly the favorites to bring him on board.
7. Nikola Vucevic
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Nikola Vucevic
Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, 2025 No. 55 Overall Pick
Nikola Vucevic stayed steady in Chicago: 18.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.5 APG. Yet reports said that the front office wanted a first-round pick for him, an asking price that put off many contending teams. However, this offseason, that could change.
Vucevic could be made available for cheaper in the right deal. Offensively, he’s the best passing big on this list. Slot him in “delay” action up top and let LeBron prowl the dunker spot a la the 2013 Heat. The flip side: the big man is very poor defensively. This is a pure offense-over-defense gambit, but it might be a chance the Lakers might have to take.
8. Chris Paul
Don’t let the 40th-birthday cake fool you, Chris Paul still ranked 7th league-wide at 7.4 APG with 8.8 PPG on 42.7 FG%. Chris Paul could be weighing L.A. (to be near family) or retirement, making a vet-min or room-MLE deal realistic.
Yes, the Lakers tried “old point guard” deja vu before, but Paul’s fit is cleaner next to Luka. Think staggered minutes where CP orchestrates the second unit, sparing LeBron 4-5 possessions a game. If nothing else, he’s the locker-room coach who can yank Luka’s ear when the defense slips.
9. Dennis Schroder
Fresh off a bounce-back with Detroit, 13.1 PPG, 5.4 AST, 40.6 FG%, Dennis Schroder hits unrestricted free agency again. A third stint with the franchise could be desperate but feasible, citing L.A.’s bottom-five bench scoring.
The case is simple: he already knows the Lakers and what comes with playing for them, can hound opposing guards for 94 feet, and runs downhill in transition, where Luka loves early-offense hit-ahead passes. As Schroder heads to free agency, the value is undeniable; just be ready for streaky shooting nights.
10. Robert Williams
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Robert Williams
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Shake Milton, 2025 No. 55 Overall Pick
Health caveats aside, Robert Williams posted 5.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 1.7 BLK in only 20 games before knee surgery, shooting 64.1%. Portland could move him with one year left on his deal, given their crowded center room, and the Lakers would be smart to move Jarred Vanderbilt in a potential deal for him.
If you buy the medical reports, Williams is the highest defensive ceiling on the board: a switch-to-the-perimeter big who also deters at the rim. Picture closing lineups of Luka-Reaves-LeBron-Williams. It’s a swing-for-the-fences move, and maybe the last one of the LeBron era.
