The Los Angeles Lakers continue to scour the trade market in hopes of finding pieces that can help this team inch closer towards being a true contender. A center has been a known target for Rob Pelinka and the front office and multiple players have been linked to the team such as Jonas Valanciunas, Robert Williams III and Walker Kessler.
Valanciunas has been a name linked to the Lakers since the offseason and according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Washington Wizards big man remains one of the league’s most attractive trade candidates and a top target for the Lakers:
Who are the most attainable big men across the next six weeks? One of the more attractive trade candidates this winter, of course, is Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas. The Lithuanian’s three-year, $30 million deal with the Wizards last summer landed a few beard hairs below the league’s mid-level exception and comes fully non-guaranteed in Year 3. That’s a really movable contract for a starting-caliber center, especially one who’s been often mentioned by league figures as a top target for the Lakers.
Valanciunas’ level of play and more than affordable contract are what make him so attractive not just to the Lakers, but other teams around the league. Whether starting or coming off the bench, he is a player who can greatly help a team.
Williams is another option potential big man option for the Lakers, but he might be a bit tougher to acquire as the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly aren’t really looking to move him at this moment:
If it’s not Valanciunas, Portland’s Robert Williams III stands as perhaps the most coveted center on this season’s trade market. He’s another player on the Lakers’ wishlist of bigs and renowned for his defensive presence. And because Williams is only in Year 3 of a four-year, $48 million deal, there’s been ongoing inbound interest for Portland to navigate despite Williams’ considerable injury history. Sources say that the Blazers, however, aren’t eager to part ways with Williams just yet. Portland has been bullish on Williams’ pick-and-roll partnership with the Blazers’ young guards since team officials, sources say, made acquiring Williams a priority as part of the return package for Jrue Holiday before the start of last season.
Williams is an undersized center, but provides excellent rim protection and endless energy. The concern with Williams has always been his injury history and he’s played in just 16 games since the Blazers traded for him in the summer of 2023.
Another name linked with the Lakers has been Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler, but his team has reportedly turned down multiple offers for the young center:
Another hard-to-read big man situation: While Jazz center Walker Kessler has generated plenty of interest — he’s another notable Lakers’ target, sources say — word is Utah has turned down multiple overtures for the former first-round selection.
Kessler has the size and defensive presence the Lakers desire and is a young piece the team could keep around for the foreseeable future at just 23 years old. Because of that, however, he could cost the Lakers the most to bring in and with Utah not in a rush to move him, it could be quite the cost.
Lakers view Rui Hachimura as ‘longer-term’ piece
The Lakers have a handful of contracts to send back in any potential trade such as D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt. One player the team would prefer not to send away, however, is Rui Hachimura.
The Lakers reportedly view the forward as a ‘longer-term’ piece for the franchise and would rather deal away Russell, Vincent or Vanderbilt before trading Hachimura.
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