After a successful NBA Draft cycle, the Los Angeles Lakers have shifted their focus to other means of improving their team. Next month, free agency will begin, and while the market is somewhat limited, there are still several big names available. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka is also actively engaged in trade discussions across the league, but he’s encountered a new obstacle that has halted any progress on a deal.
“Teams knew how desperate the Lakers were to add a center and started asking prices at the Mark Williams package, often asking more,” wrote Lakers insider Anthony Irwin on X. “The Lakers don’t want to be taken advantage of. They [Hawks] view Capela as starting-quality.”
Ever since the trade for Luka Doncic, where they gave up Anthony Davis, the Lakers have been lacking in the frontcourt. Forced to rely on Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber, they failed to get past the first round, and the front office has made it their top priority to find suitable replacements.
After rescinding the Mark Wilkliams trade and striking out in the draft, the situation is getting desperate for the Lakers, and teams across the league are using it to their advantage to try and squeeze whatever assets they can. In the case of Clint Capela, for example, the Hawks want more than what the Lakers are willing to offer, which is a package around Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and multiple draft picks.
While the Lakers might view him as a role player, Capela is a major upgrade over their current rotation, and they’ll have to pay a hefty price to add him to their roster. With limited assets and almost no cap flexibility, the Hawks are not making it any easier for the Lakers to find their center.
Pelinka has also been interested in acquiring Walker Kessler from the Jazz. He’s a young big man who could fit perfectly next to Luka Doncic, but the Jazz reportedly want multiple first-round picks, and the sacrifice remains too steep. Unless the Lakers are also able to get back John Collins in the deal, they’re unlikely to meet Utah’s demands.
The sad reality of this offseason is that the Lakers have seemingly lost all their leverage. With the entire league clued in on their offseason plans, no team is going to play along without a bonus, and since the Lakers refuse to be taken advantage of, it’s stalling any progress toward a deal.
Every day that goes by is a chance that another center gets taken off the board, and if the Lakers don’t make a move soon, all of their top choices could become unattainable. If they’re willing to offer Dalton Knecht in a package or part with their last remaining picks, it should be enough to get someone good, but they can’t afford to make the wrong choice.
Patience will be key for the Lakers this summer, and it’s important for them not to rush the process of filling out their roster. While they may be getting low-ball offers now, the situation could change when the free agency period opens in July.
