The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked with some big names this offseason, but they’ll likely be making some smaller moves as well. Lakers insider Khobi Price shared some of the lower-tier players that the team could go after this summer.
“Under-the-radar potential free agent targets for the Lakers include Luke Kornet, Tre Jones, Dante Exum, Amir Coffey, and Larry Nance Jr.”
Let’s take a look at these one by one.
Luke Kornet was a solid backup center for the Boston Celtics this past season. Kornet averaged 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the Celtics in 2024-25. The 29-year-old can’t be the starter for the Lakers, but would be a good rotational piece.
Tre Jones started the campaign on the San Antonio Spurs but was then shipped to the Chicago Bulls as part of the De’Aaron Fox trade. Jones averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Bulls. Like Kornet, he would be a solid backup.
Dante Exum is next, and he averaged 8.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game for the Dallas Mavericks in 2024-25. Exum is a decent backup, but there are major injury concerns here, as he played just 20 games. The last time he played more than 55 games in a single campaign was back in 2016-17. The best ability is availability, so the Lakers should ideally steer clear.
Amir Coffey, meanwhile, would be an intriguing option. Coffey averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-25. He started the season well, but then suffered a knee injury. When he did come back, there was no longer a spot available in the rotation. Coffey’s two-way impact would make him a decent acquisition for the Lakers.
Last but not least, we get to a former Laker in Larry Nance Jr. Nance, whom the Lakers selected with the 27th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Atlanta Hawks in 2024-25. He can play as a small-ball center and has developed a three-point shot as well, which makes him a welcome addition.
With the exception of Exum due to his injury, the rest would be decent rotation pieces for the Lakers. We also listed three free agents for the team to target, and Nance was one of them. It’s unclear, though, if he is interested in a reunion.
Jovan Buha, another Lakers insider, also shared some updates regarding the team’s activity this offseason. Buha expects the team to be aggressive to appease Luka Doncic, but a move for Walker Kessler is unlikely. Chris Paul and Lonzo Ball are two guards they are interested in, but there are injury concerns regarding the latter.
Only time will tell who the Lakers end up with, but expect changes. There was a lot to like about their 2024-25 season, as they were the third seed in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record.
The campaign ended on a sour note, though, as the Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Lakers in five games in the first round. It was clear moves had to be made if they were to become serious title contenders in 2025-26.
