Rob Pelinka, Luka Doncic, Lakers
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(L-R) Rob Pelinka, general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, looks on as Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks during a press conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers are eyeing the top centers available in the free agent market, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer report, despite the sudden availability of Deandre Ayton.
“The Lakers are scheduled to have conversations early in free agency with both Brook Lopez and Clint Capela and will naturally also have interest in Deandre Ayton once the former No. 1 overall pick clears waivers Wednesday at 5 PM ET,” Stein and Fischer wrote on “The Stein Line” Substack newsletter a few hour before NBA Free Agency opens on June 30.
Lopez was the top center in this year’s free agency outside of Myles Turner, who is likely to return to Indiana, per multiple reports, until Ayton joined the party with a buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Deandre Ayton, Lakers
Getty Deandre Ayton is a buyout candidate to fill the Los Angeles Lakers’ desperate need for a starting center.
ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the buyout was initiated by Ayton and his representatives with the former No. 1 pick “wanting to play in a winning situation.”
Ayton was the odd man out in Portland after the Trail Blazers selected another young center, picking up China’s Yang Hansen at No. 16 to add to last year’s No. 7 pick Donovan Clingan.
Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks while shooting 56.6% last season in Portland.
Not Just One, But Two
Brook Lopez
GettyBrook Lopez is on the Lakers’ radar.
The Lakers need multiple centers, not just one after they lost Anthony Davis in the Luka Doncic trade. Career backup center Jaxson Hayes admirably started for the Lakers, but coach JJ Redick lost faith in him, benching him in the final three halves of their first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Hayes is an unrestricted free agent and is uncertain to return following his benching.
Meanwhile, Lopez, 37, averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.8 assists in 80 games last season for the Milwaukee Bucks, where he won a championship in 2021. He shot 37.3% from the 3-point line.
While he isn’t the lob threat that Luka Doncic wants, Lopez’ 3-point threat, rim protection and experience could give the Lakers a better shot at making a deeper playoff run than their first-round flameout last season.
The 7-foot-1 center once played for the Lakers during the 2017-18 season, the gap year between the post-Kobe Bryant and LeBron James eras.
Lopez is from California.
A homecoming and competing for a championship at the twilight of his career is a dream scenario.
Lakers Operating Under Tight Budget
clint capela
GettyClint Capela is withinLakers’ price range.
However, the Lakers will have strong competition for Lopez, who might be out of the Lakers’ price range.
The Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets also have Lopez on their radar, per multiple reports.
The Lakers will only have the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception if they bring back Dorian Finney-Smith. But if Finney-Smith decides to sign elsewhere, the Lakers will gain access to the $14.1 million full MLE.
Capela, 31, would be cheaper than Lopez. But he’s no slouch. Capela has been one of the top two most prolific offensive rebounders in the league over the past few seasons. He led the league in offensive rebounds with 4.6 per game during the 2023-24 season.
The 6-foot-10 center averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds (3.6 offensive), 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocks in just 21.4 minutes, his lowest playing time since the 2015-16 season as the Atlanta Hawks promoted Onyeka Okongwu to the starting lineup.