The Los Angeles Lakers need to acquire a center this offseason for stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James after parting ways with Anthony Davis to get Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick played with a center in the second half of Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and all of Game 5 because Jaxson Hayes was struggling versus Rudy Gobert.
Los Angeles president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka told reporters during his end-of-the-season press conference that he will attempt to acquire a big man this offseason via free agency or a trade and one NBA writer thinks Pelinka will accomplish his goal.
In a story called "Bold Offseason Predictions for Every Team After 2025 NBA Finals," Dan Favale of Bleacher Report predicted that the Lakers will trade for a center "Doncic has played with."
"This inevitable search will lead them to someone alongside whom Doncic has already played," Favale wrote. "Don't ask me who, specifically. But it will be one of Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II or Kristaps Porzingis. It probably won't be Dwight Powell (player option).
"Lively would be ideal and probably cost the Lakers' top-shelf offer. Gafford isn't perfect from a defensive standpoint, but he's a solid vertical threat and rim protector. Whether the Mavericks will ever conduct business with Los Angeles again is a separate matter."
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic
The Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to acquire a center for Luka Doncic this offseason.
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The Mavericks have the first overall pick in this year's draft. They are expected to draft Duke star Cooper Flagg.
Gafford intends to sign a three-year contract extension worth up to nearly $60 million with the Mavericks, but the big man will still be trade-eligible this season.
Doncic can sign a contract extension with the Lakers on August 2 for as much as four years and $229 million. He may wait to see if the team acquires a center for him first before signing an extension.
Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists with the Lakers in the regular season after the Mavericks traded him in February.