The Boston Celtics are unlikely to keep Luke Kornet this offseason per @esidery Would you like him as a backup center for the Lakers next season? pic.twitter.com/mI2wgsoH4k— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) June 13, 2025

Man, it is painful watching Caruso play for OKC.

The Thunder won the biggest game in franchise history in absolute stunning fashion.Now they have to win the biggest game in franchise history once again on Monday. pic.twitter.com/b6nZk1wKQ3— Lu Dort Fan Account (@LuDortBurner) June 14, 2025

SHAI GILGEOUS ALEXANDER IN THE 4TH QUARTER: 15 POINTS1 STEAL 1 BLOCK79% TS+16WINS THE THUNDER THE GAME IN GAINBRIDGE TO TIE UP THE SERIES AND SEND IT BACK HOME.HE IS A MAN. pic.twitter.com/YTmO2iiC7A— • (@pullupshaii) June 14, 2025

Personally pulling for OKC, just so Caruso can win a ring before Rob does. There’s no other way to look at how we followed up the 3 seasons after winning in the bubble as completely blowing it. We wasted prime years of AD and LeBron through Rob’s prideful, dumb decisions. From choosing Old Long Arms (THT) over proven playoff stud Alex Caruso to firing Coach Vogel after an injury riddled season from both LeBron and AD that led to another kind of coaching debacle Rob gets a lot of credit for things that drop into his lap and not enough scrutiny for the decisions he makes on his own.

In Pacerland, gave away. Ball should always be in Hali’s hands. Come on Coach C!

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

So… what should the Lakers do?

Only a handful of the trade candidates are worth the meager draft capital the Lakers have remaining. If there’s a path to Allen, take it. He’s an All-Star. But that’s unlikely.

If there’s a path to Kessler? He’s probably the bubble candidate. It would probably take everything the Lakers have — 2031 unprotected, 2026, 2030 and 2032 swaps and the removal of the top-four protection on 2027 already going to Utah — to get him. That sort of trade is an all-in push. For that to be justifiable, one of two things probably needs to happen: either LeBron James takes a pay cut to open up the full mid-level exception, or the Jazz take on a contract (ideally Jarred Vanderbilt, acceptably Maxi Kleber) to accomplish the same goal. If the Lakers are going all-in here and now, they need to get enough bang for their buck.

Claxton might be worth the 2031 pick on its own, but without the immediate benefit of the low cap figure this year and with less room to grow for the long haul, shouldn’t get the swaps or Knecht in a deal. However, given Brooklyn’s cap flexibility, perhaps there’s a compromise here where the Nets get more draft capital but also help the Lakers clear that full mid-level.

These are the only scenarios in which I’d consider moving the 2031 pick. Otherwise, I’m holding it, waiting until next summer, and shopping around with it and the 2033 pick that unlocks then. If the pick isn’t moving and the Lakers can’t find a way to access the full mid-level exception, the first order of business should be using the tax mid-level for one of the free agents we covered. Kornet is probably the best of the five, but Capela seems to be the likeliest based on the reporting thus far. He at least has a track record as a starter, though given the decline he’s shown of late and just how favorably the numbers view Kornet, I suspect Capela is a less valuable player next season.

If the Lakers sign one of these mid-level centers, it has to be as part of a platoon. Ayton is probably the most appealing of the cheaper trade options, just given the upside he brings, but making the money work without Rui Hachimura in the deal would be tough. Would the Lakers take that plunge? Probably only as a last resort. A deal centered around Knecht and Bitadze would be preferable at that point, and a third team could be looped in to help out financially. That would also leave the Lakers with a matching salary leftover at the deadline. If they wanted to dangle their 2031 pick for help on the perimeter, then they could do so.

The truth is, there’s no single path that makes sense for the Lakers. They need multiple centers, and it’s not clear how gettable some of the best players on this list will be. For now, the Lakers are likely negotiating for several of them. They will adapt based on what’s available, and there are dozens of viable paths they could take. In the end, though, it’d be pretty surprising if one or two of these players isn’t on the team next season. Adding centers is the single most important goal for the Lakers this offseason.

I look at DLO as an opportunity to Get Gafford. DLO is the perfect PG for Dallas while Kyrie recovers. He works well with AD and won’t break the bank like some of the other trade names mentioned. He can probably be had for 10 mil or so. Gafford has been in every PG trade I have read. Rob works well with Dallas and the Nets. The Nets sign and trade DLO to the Mav’s and Dallas sends the Lakers Gafford. The Lakers send Dalton and Kleber to the Nets. That is a win for all 3 teams.

It’s perplexing why Tyus Jones did not work out in Phoenix. He had his 3rd best scoring average and beat his career percentages from the field, from three, and from the line, shot 41% on 5 3PA pg, 5.3 assists to 1.1 turnovers. Hard to believe his defense was the worst on that team. What’s the story?

lol.

Giannis understands what the casual fan does not.

Any team that acquires him will have to gut their roster of the very players he’d want to play with. Other than a straight up swap for KD (and that would need to have Durant’s blessing since Phoenix sems to be working very closely with him and his agent to work that situation out). He’d be in the same, if not worse, situation he’s in now.

This is a cap issue, one for the GM and his staff to remedy. Same as every other team in the league except the three bottom feeders.

It’s the Kobe on Pluto scenario all over again minus the Bryant-fueled drama he created. Giannis came to the same conclusion it took Kobe like 5 months to figure out: you won’t be playing on that team you like with all the stars…they’re swapping spots with you.

That’s why the Lakers never had any kind of shot at all, we got nothing to replace Giannis in Milwaukee…even if the contracts work we don’t have the draft ponies to run that race.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

The upcoming offseason promises to be full of action. Some of the biggest names are on the market. And a number of legacy franchises, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, are looking to nose dive in this pool. So far, there’s been one alarm in particular that’s rung in the Purple and Gold’s front office. They need a center to help add size and establish complete defensive coverage on their team. In doing so, they might chase the wildest options.

A name that continues to grow in popularity is Austin Reaves. The guard is adored by the Lakers fanbase, similar to Alex Caruso. He’s risen tremendously for someone who came into the NBA undrafted. However, with Luka Doncic as their point guard, the Lakers need a solid defense to truly squeeze the best out of him and LeBron James.

But what is Reaves really worth, in what looks to be a highly active offseason? Lakers experts Jovan Buha and Anthony Irwin sat down together and identified six potential centers the Lakers could target.

It’s important to first understand the priority, though. They both feel that a player who specializes in their role should be the player the Lakers target. And with a young and promising star like Reaves as the bait, they have some stellar names in the queue.

Three centers really stand out. “I’m looking for essentially young players, you know, under 30, top 50ish, good defensively. Uh, so a list of names that I think a lot of these are obvious, but I’m just stating them,” Buha said about them. Those names include Evan Mobley, the Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., and Bam Adebayo.

All of them are elite at rim protection and have a high defensive ceiling. They are also versatile defenders who, per Irwin, are great for the “level of covering up for some of Luka’s weaknesses,”. The only issue is their contracts.

Evan Mobley will see a huge increase in his salary, jumping to $46 million. Bam Adebayo is making over $30 million. The only affordable option for Austin Reaves’ contract could be JJJ, who will be in his last season under contract next year. The value makes him an attractive option. But what about the other three centers? They might not need the Lakers to part ways with Austin Reaves.

Rob Pelinka could save Austin Reaves

It’s not that the Lakers won’t be willing to part ways with Austin Reaves. But if given the option, ideally, they would want him there. JJ Redick loves his vigor, and he continues to improve every season. In that case, the Lakers might have few options they could explore, taking advantage of the situation.

For Irwin, that would be Nic Claxton. It mainly stems from the league connections Rob Pelinka has. “I would probably say uh the Lakers have a history of working with Brooklyn on a deal just recent as recently as last summer when they got uh Dorian Finney-Smith. Uh, and we know that Rob does kind of like to work with the same executives around the league,” he pointed out on Buha’s YouTube channel.

Claxton is an agile center who can brighten the Lakers’ defensive game. While not an elite shot blocker, the Nets center has great anticipation on both ends of the floor, and the prospect of playing for the Lakers could tempt him.

Buha has another prime target on his list. According to him, Clint Capela moving to the Hawks’ bench makes him an option for the Lakers. The former Rockets big is adept at blocking shots and can serve as a formidable aerial threat to play beside Doncic. Another option is Brook Lopez, who will become a free agent. However, because Buha thinks his future depends on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s decision, he isn’t as firm on the stretch big.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

The upcoming offseason promises to be full of action. Some of the biggest names are on the market. And a number of legacy franchises, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, are looking to nose dive in this pool. So far, there’s been one alarm in particular that’s rung in the Purple and Gold’s front office. They need a center to help add size and establish complete defensive coverage on their team. In doing so, they might chase the wildest options.

A name that continues to grow in popularity is Austin Reaves. The guard is adored by the Lakers fanbase, similar to Alex Caruso. He’s risen tremendously for someone who came into the NBA undrafted. However, with Luka Doncic as their point guard, the Lakers need a solid defense to truly squeeze the best out of him and LeBron James.

But what is Reaves really worth, in what looks to be a highly active offseason? Lakers experts Jovan Buha and Anthony Irwin sat down together and identified six potential centers the Lakers could target.

It’s important to first understand the priority, though. They both feel that a player who specializes in their role should be the player the Lakers target. And with a young and promising star like Reaves as the bait, they have some stellar names in the queue.

Three centers really stand out. “I’m looking for essentially young players, you know, under 30, top 50ish, good defensively. Uh, so a list of names that I think a lot of these are obvious, but I’m just stating them,” Buha said about them. Those names include Evan Mobley, the Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., and Bam Adebayo.

All of them are elite at rim protection and have a high defensive ceiling. They are also versatile defenders who, per Irwin, are great for the “level of covering up for some of Luka’s weaknesses,”. The only issue is their contracts.

Evan Mobley will see a huge increase in his salary, jumping to $46 million. Bam Adebayo is making over $30 million. The only affordable option for Austin Reaves’ contract could be JJJ, who will be in his last season under contract next year. The value makes him an attractive option. But what about the other three centers? They might not need the Lakers to part ways with Austin Reaves.

Rob Pelinka could save Austin Reaves
It’s not that the Lakers won’t be willing to part ways with Austin Reaves. But if given the option, ideally, they would want him there. JJ Redick loves his vigor, and he continues to improve every season. In that case, the Lakers might have few options they could explore, taking advantage of the situation.

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For Irwin, that would be Nic Claxton. It mainly stems from the league connections Rob Pelinka has. “I would probably say uh the Lakers have a history of working with Brooklyn on a deal just recent as recently as last summer when they got uh Dorian Finney-Smith. Uh, and we know that Rob does kind of like to work with the same executives around the league,” he pointed out on Buha’s YouTube channel.

Claxton is an agile center who can brighten the Lakers’ defensive game. While not an elite shot blocker, the Nets center has great anticipation on both ends of the floor, and the prospect of playing for the Lakers could tempt him.

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Buha has another prime target on his list. According to him, Clint Capela moving to the Hawks’ bench makes him an option for the Lakers. The former Rockets big is adept at blocking shots and can serve as a formidable aerial threat to play beside Doncic. Another option is Brook Lopez, who will become a free agent. However, because Buha thinks his future depends on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s decision, he isn’t as firm on the stretch big.

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Some of these guys are just ridiculous to even mention. Miami ain’t trading Bam. Memphis ain’t trading JJJ. Cleveland is certainly not trading Mobley. These kinds of names just make me laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Claxton could be gettable but at the same time Brooklyn has to pay SOMEBODY. They’re current payroll for next season? $53.7 mil. They have to come WAY up to meet the salary cap floor and half of what they have is in Claxton. They also don’t have a ton of centers and he gets cheaper. Almost better to see if one could entice D-Sharpe to come here for the Bi-Annual.

If they could get Claxton, which is feasible given that he’s on Brooklyn and that’s one of like 4 teams that will deal fairly with Rob, I wonder if a package of Kleber, Vincent and Knecht gets it done. Toss in a top 5 protected FRP and call it a day.

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

Los Angeles Lakers: Walker Kessler
Walker Kessler has ranked in the 95th percentile or better in block rate among big men in each of his first three seasons. That kind of interior presence would transform a Los Angeles Lakers team that ranked 21st in blocks per 100 possessions and 25th in opponent field-goal percentage at the rim last year.

In addition to protecting the rim for a team that doesn’t currently have a starting-caliber center on the roster, Kessler could juice the offense with his league-leading 4.6 offensive boards per game and dangerous lob-catching skills.

Luka Dončić thrives when he has a vertical spacer at the 5, and Kessler’s 132 dunks last season were the most of any player who logged fewer than 60 games.

Kessler is still on his rookie-scale deal, and the Utah Jazz shouldn’t be in the business of shipping out young players who’ve already proved themselves as starters. But if the Lakers were willing to give up a first-round pick, a pick swap and Dalton Knecht for Mark Williams, they shouldn’t have any problem surrendering at least that much for Kessler.

LAKERS NEED PACERS 'POINT OF ATTACK PRESS'Lakers' head coach JJ Redick should be watching what the Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is doing with his innovative 'Point of Attack Press.'Indiana is leading all team in allowing just 9.2 opponent fast break points per… pic.twitter.com/RqZOiK0hLj— LakerTom (@LakerTom) June 13, 2025