Feb 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) controls the ball during the game between the Mavericks and the Spurs at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Feb 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) controls the ball during the game between the Mavericks and the Spurs at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Overall, the Lakers have a pretty strong roster. Between Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, and Sandro Mamukelashvili (among others), there’s enough top-end talent to compete with the absolute best teams in the NBA this season.
But if there’s any area that the Lakers are lacking, it’s the backup center spot. After replacing Anthony Davis with Walker Kessler, they have their starter in the paint, but the Lakers are not sold on what comes after. That’s why, according to the latest intel, they could look to Dallas to help settle their center concerns.
“I mean, they’re looking. They’re looking, said Dan Woike on the Zach Lowe Show. “But a lot of teams are looking at backup bigs, and it’s not a super robust market. A situation I would say that I’m monitoring is like what’s going on with the back of Dallas’ bench, like, are they going to carry four centers?”
It’s no secret that the Lakers have been looking to shore up their frontcourt rotation. Right now, Kevon Looney is their only option off the bench, but his impact is expected to be minimal after averaging 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 41.7% shooting from the field last season.
For now, there’s not much the Lakers can do to change their situation, but that could change between now and February’s trade deadline. The Mavericks, in particular, present a golden opportunity. With the franchise rebuilding around Cooper Flagg, it’s debatable if they actually need a four-man center rotation that features two aging veteran centers.
If any of them becomes available, it could be worth pursuing for the Lakers, but some would make a better fit than others. At 7’1″ and 22 years old, Dereck Lively II is the dream acquisition, but the Mavericks are almost sure not to give him up. Alternatively, and more realistically, the Lakers could target Daniel Gafford.
The 6’10” big man has years of NBA experience in various roles, including as a backup center. Over seven seasons in the NBA, he averages 9.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game on 70.2% shooting from the field. He has served as a defensive anchor in Dallas for years, and even played with Luka Doncic during his sole run to the NBA Finals in 2024.
If not those players, the Lakers could opt to take a swing on Moussa Cisse or Santi Aldama. The only catch in these scenarios is that they would have to give up something in return, likely some package involving Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, and multiple future picks.
At this point, the Lakers are set on letting things play out and seeing what they have before making any major roster tweaks. After a run to the Western Semifinals last year, they aren’t far off from contention, and it could only take one or two more moves to put them on the same level as the top contenders. Out of any team right now, the Mavericks provide the best means for the Lakers to fix one of their glaring problems, and that’s why they will be watching closely to see what happens there this season.