Earvin "Magic" Johnson & Rob Pelinka Los Angeles Lakers Media Availability
Earvin "Magic" Johnson & Rob Pelinka Los Angeles Lakers Media Availability
Deadline day is here. By 5 p.m. Eastern today, teams have to set their opening night roster. For the Los Angeles Lakers, that means they have just hours left to get a trade done.
While the Lakers still appear to be working hard to find a deal for Dalton Knecht, they have to face the uncomfortable reality of potentially having to waive him — or another player, or even two — if they can’t find a taker for the 25-year-old former first round pick.
The ideal scenario is to kill two birds with one stone. L.A. would love to execute a deal that ships out Knecht and brings in a dependable big man to play behind star center Walker Kessler.
Lakers Have “Strong Interest” in Young Big Man
Dallas Mavericks v Houston Rockets
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 31: Moussa Cisse #30 of the Dallas Mavericks defends a shot by Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets in the second half at Toyota Center on January 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
If no trade happens before today’s deadline, the team is prepared to scour the free agent market to find a back up center. One player of interest is 24-year-old Dallas Mavericks big man Moussa Cisse, according to “The Stein Line.”
“There’s a growing expectation among rival teams that Moussa Cissé is the Dallas player in the greatest jeopardy. The Stein Line has learned, however, that Cissé is a real candidate to be claimed off waived in the event he is let go. Chicago, sources say, has interest in the high-energy big man. I’m told Atlanta also has interest even though the Hawks don’t currently have an open standard spot … If Cissé were to be waived Monday and then clear waivers Wednesday, I’m also told that the 76ers and Lakers would have strong interest in signing him to a two-way deal even though neither team currently has a two-way opening,” reported NBA journalist Marc Stein (h/t Ryan Ward, Sports Illustrated’s Lakers on SI)
As Ward noted, the Lakers would have to make room to add Cisse, who is limited to a two-way contract because his two-year deal, worth roughly $4.8 million, exceeds the maximum guaranteed salary allowed for a player to be waived and re-signed to a two-way contract.
“Cisse played in 38 games with the Mavericks last season, averaging 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 57.4% from the field,” Ward wrote. “Solid numbers for a 23-year-old big man who played only 13.9 minutes per game off the bench. Of course, the Lakers would have to waive a player on a two-way deal to bring in Cisse.”
Cisse Would Be Strong Option if No Trade Happens
Cisse, who tied a Mavs franchise rookie record with 20 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls in April, would be a high-upside plan B for the Lakers if the team can’t hammer out a deal for another big man before the regular season starts.
The bottom line is that L.A. would be playing a risky game if they entered the season without another big man. Although veteran center Kevon Looney, the 30-year-old, three-time NBA champion, was signed in free agency to help shore up the team’s frontcourt depth, Looney’s minimal preseason play showed that he is not in a position to produce consistently off the bench.
If the Lakers had someone like Cisse to turn to when Kessler is off the floor, that could help alleviate a lot of their troubles. Kessler has already flashed his two-way impact, and we saw how different the Lakers looked in his debut when the 25-year-old center was on the floor versus when he was off it.
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Adel Ahmad Adel is a writer with over five years of experience covering the NBA. His work has appeared on various media platforms, both national and local. More about Adel Ahmad
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