With the 2025 offseason underway, the Los Angeles Lakers are once again at a familiar crossroads: they need a starting center, but have limited capital to offer. After last season’s failed trade for Mark Williams and an early playoff exit, it’s clear the front office can’t afford to swing and miss again.
According to rival scouts and executives cited by The Los Angeles Times, the Lakers’ best available assets, excluding untouchable Austin Reaves, are second-year wing Dalton Knecht, their 2031 first-round pick, and a collection of expiring contracts. That trio is now seen as the cornerstone of any trade for a starting-caliber big man.
Knecht’s value is skyrocketing. The 6-foot-6 wing turned heads during his rookie season, averaging 9.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 threes per game while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.6% from deep.
The 2031 first-round pick is also seen as an enticing piece, especially considering the long-term uncertainty of the Lakers’ roster. With LeBron James nearing retirement and Luka Doncic’s future never guaranteed in a market as intense as Los Angeles, there’s a legitimate chance this pick ends up landing in the lottery.
That type of speculative value gives the Lakers a useful chip in negotiations, especially in an era where distant picks have proven decisive in blockbuster trades.
Then there are the expiring contracts, which give the Lakers some transactional flexibility. Veterans like Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, and Jaxson Hayes can be bundled to help match salaries. The appeal of shedding salary is attractive to cap-conscious teams, particularly those not aiming to contend in 2026.
One name being floated is Daniel Gafford of the Dallas Mavericks. Gafford was a key figure in the 2024 Dallas playoff run, forming excellent chemistry with Luka Doncic in their brief stint together. He averaged 8.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting a blistering 70.2% from the field.
Among other notable targets, Nic Claxton and Mitchell Robinson remain firmly on the Lakers’ radar, though each comes with their own complications. Claxton, one of the league’s most versatile defensive bigs, is viewed as the top realistic trade target by Lakers insider Jovan Buha.
The 6-foot-11 Nets center is elite at switching on the perimeter, protecting the rim, and finishing lobs, exactly what the Lakers are looking for alongside Luka Doncic.
However, Claxton is entering the second year of a four-year, $97 million deal, and matching his $25.3 million salary will require the Lakers to include valuable assets like Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt, along with draft compensation.
Mitchell Robinson, on the other hand, would come cheaper and fill a similar defensive role, but there are serious concerns about his health and rebounding consistency.
A proposed deal involving Jarred Vanderbilt, a second-round pick, and a 2026 pick swap has been floated as a fair package, but even that comes with risk considering Robinson’s injury history and limited offensive game. Both centers offer what the Lakers need, but neither is a surefire answer without significant trade-offs.
Despite the appeal of some trade targets, the Lakers’ lack of multiple first-round picks in the near future (2025, 2027, and 2029 are already gone) puts added pressure on Rob Pelinka to maximize what few assets remain.
The reality is simple: if the Lakers want a quality starting center, they may have to sacrifice Knecht or the 2031 pick, or both.
For the Lakers, the decision is clear: they either push their chips in now to build around Luka and LeBron for one last title run or risk wasting another year with no true anchor at the five. The path forward demands sacrifice, but if the goal is contention, Pelinka has no choice but to spend his best assets wisely and soon.
