When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Deandre Ayton, they hoped that he would make a huge jump to fill the hole left at center that they made when they traded away Anthony Davis. However, it hasn’t worked like they wanted, and getting a replacement for Ayton is seeming more and more like a possibility.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz believes that if the Lakers want a big man that Doncic could connect with like he did on the Dallas Mavericks, they should make a deal for the Brooklyn Nets’ shot-blocking lob threat Nic Claxton.
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The trade would look like this:
Lakers get: C Nic Claxton
Nets get: F Dalton Knecht, F Jarred Vanderbilt, 2026 first-round pick (projected No. 25 overall)
“After making a whopping five first-round selections in 2025, the Nets only own one first-rounder this summer. Trading one of the remaining veterans in Claxton to the Lakers would land Brooklyn another good prospect for a franchise in the middle of a rebuild. Knecht, 24, was also the No. 17 overall pick in 2024. Claxton gives the Lakers a better option at center over Deandre Ayton, someone who can be a defensive anchor, finish lobs from Luka Dončić and not complain about his role,” Swartz wrote.
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So far this season, Claxton is averaging 12 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 28.5 minutes per game. While is about the same level of scorer as Ayton, he’s a better playmaker and defender.
He does have a much larger contract than Ayton as well, as after this season, he has two years left on a four-year, $97 million deal. However, what he brings to the table statistically and intangibly definitely justify it.
Hopefully, the Lakers consider this proposal, as this could be the perfect center for Doncic to bring the most out of like L.A. hoped he would with Ayton.
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