The Los Angeles Lakers are going to take a predictable approach to the team's 2025 offseason. It isn't any secret that a lack of rim protection and size were the reasons for the team's flameout in the first round of the playoffs. It demands that the organization bring a level of seriousness to fixing a problem that has already cost the [team a valuable LeBron James](https://lasportshub.com/lakers-alarming-lebron-james-update-before-draft-rich-paul01jw3vd77jj3) and Luka Dončić. How many more chances the franchise will have with both players on the roster isn't likely to be more than 2-3 years at most, with LeBron already in uncharted territory.
With this in mind, the Lakers should be willing to spend draft picks and do what it takes to improve the current roster. One potential target for this is Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton. It is hard to find a better lob threat or a player who would so perfectly fit in with the Lakers' core. Leading us to look at a potential trade to land the Nets' star.
Lakers Land Nets C Nix Claxton in Blockbuster Projected Trade Entering Summer
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Los Angeles would hand the Nets two valuable wing players in Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt and a first-round pick as the franchise continues an unending rebuild. A large part of this is due to Brooklyn's own decision to attempt to compete with a trio of Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant. The franchise is still attempting to pay the bill from this attempt at pushing its chips to the center of the table.
It serves as a possible opportunity for the Lakers to take on Claxton's contract and give the team better rim protection and an elite lob threat. Adding a combination of Claxton via trade and signing Clint Capela or Brook Lopez in free agency would go a long way in answering the team's current concerns.
Former Luka teammate Daniel Gafford has been consistently pointed to as a possible target as well. No matter what direction the team chooses to take, it is going to be hard pressed not to upgrade over the options of Alex Len and Jaxson Hayes. No question, a Claxton trade is on the board and a move the Lakers are likely going to consider throughout the 2025 offseason.
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