Pair of reports offer good and bad news on Los Angeles Lakers search for an impact center
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler still may be out of the Los Angeles Lakers' price range. But the door opened a little wider to a potential reunion with Brook Lopez.
One of the biggest priorities for the Lakers this summer will be trying to improve their frontcourt. Especially at the center spot. Last offseason, the organization was among those that showed interest in Jazz big Walker Kessler. And there have been rumblings in recent days that they could re-engage Utah in trade talks this summer.
Advertisement
However, this week, The Athletic Lakers insider Jovan Buha poured some cold water on that possibility. 'I think the issue with Walker Kessler and with Utah in general is their asking prices tend to be higher, and I think trading for Lauri [Markkanen] or Walker is going to be a high price,' he said in a new Q&A session on his YouTube channel.
The most recent reports suggested Utah is looking for multiple future first-round picks in any potential trade for Kessler. However, with a Kessler trade unlikely, there will be some solid veteran options on the trade and free agent market this summer. One of them is Milwaukee Bucks star Brook Lopez.
His name has been linked to the Lakers in recent weeks. Mainly because the man who played one season in LA seven years ago could be had at an affordable rate if Milwaukee does not plan on trying to hold on to him this summer. Well, this week, the Hardwood Paroxysm substack page reported, 'most everyone I've spoken to assumes Brook Lopez is gone.'
Milwaukee is the only team that might see added value in the 37-year-old after he helped them win a championship a few seasons ago. However, with the Bucks out of the equation, his market is even weaker. While he may not be LA's top choice, if they fail in pursuits of other players, Lopez could be a worthwhile and affordable center option in August.
Advertisement
Related Headlines
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
NBA Trade Idea Gives Lakers' LeBron James, Luka Doncic New All-Star Teammate
NBA Trade Idea Gives Lakers' LeBron James, Luka Doncic New All-Star Teammate originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers were the third seed in the Western Conference this season. They faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs and had home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series. Advertisement However, the Timberwolves defeated the Lakers in five quick games, sending LeBron James and Luka Doncic home early. For Los Angeles to win a championship in the James-Doncic era, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka may need to acquire a third All-Star this offseason. With that said, Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World proposed that the Lakers make a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz this summer. This NBA trade idea sends Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen to the Los Angeles Lakers. © Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images Bitar proposed that the Lakers trade Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, the 55th overall pick in this year's draft and a 2031 first-round pick to the Jazz for Lauri Markkanen. Advertisement "If Pelinka waves the Reaves-Hachimura-Vanderbilt trio plus a 2031 first, Markkanen slides in as the ultimate Luka-LeBron release valve. Picture the high-side pick-and-pop with Doncic, then pivoting to horns sets where James can rest on the weak side and still warp the defense with his gravity," Bitar wrote. Markkanen appeared in 47 games for the Jazz this season. He averaged 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.4 blocks while shooting 42.3% from the field, 34.6% from beyond the arc and 87.6% from the free-throw line. A one-time All-Star, Markkanen will make $46.4 million next season. According to Sarah Todd of the Deseret News, the Jazz are willing to hear trade offers for Walker Kessler and Markkanen. Advertisement The Jazz, who had the worst record in the Western Conference this season, could be active over the next several weeks. Related: Lakers Starter Dismisses Rumors of Wanting to Leave Franchise This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former NBA MVP Explains Why He ‘Hated' Playing Against LeBron James
Former NBA MVP Explains Why He 'Hated' Playing Against LeBron James originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He's a four-time MVP, a four-time champion and a four-time Finals MVP with career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers. Advertisement James became the leading scorer in NBA history in 2023, passing Hall of Famer and Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The King, who entered the NBA in 2003, is the only player in NBA history to rank top five all-time in points and assists. Many superstars have failed to reach the NBA Finals and win it all because of James, who went to eight straight NBA Finals from 2010-11 to 2017-18. James won back-to-back rings and Finals MVPs with the Heat in 2012 and 2013. He won his third ring and third Finals MVP in 2016 with the Cavaliers and captured his fourth title and fourth Finals MVP in 2020 with the Lakers. Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose "hated" playing against LeBron James. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images One player who was projected to dominate the NBA for a while before getting hurt was Derrick Rose, who became the youngest MVP in NBA history in 2011 with his hometown Chicago Bulls. Advertisement Rose, who retired from the NBA in 2024, recently revealed that he 'hated' playing against James. 'Bron was the only one that thought like a point guard that wasn't a point guard,' Rose said. 'Where he wouldn't score early or sometimes he would start scoring early. And he was smart enough to make the adjustment. I hated that.' When Rose was with the Bulls, he went 0-3 against James in the playoffs. Rose and the Bulls lost to James and the Cavaliers in the first round of the 2010 playoffs in five games and the second round of the 2015 playoffs in six games. Rose and Chicago also lost to James and the Heat in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals in five games. Related: NBA Trade Idea Gives Lakers' LeBron James, Luka Doncic New All-Star Teammate This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Warriors Make Decision on Former NBA All-Star After Lakers Report
Warriors Make Decision on Former NBA All-Star After Lakers Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers have some issues to address this offseason. While many will pay attention to Luka Doncic's conditioning and LeBron James' age, one of the roster's most significant flaws is at the center position. Advertisement The Minnesota Timberwolves beat them in five games largely because of their frontcourt advantage. This advantage isn't exclusive to the Timberwolves. The Denver Nuggets have Nikola Jokic, and the Houston Rockets have Alperen Sengun. The bottom line is that many of the Lakers' competitors in the West have quality centers. That's why the Lakers can't pretend this problem doesn't exist. If they're serious about contending, they will need a better starting center next to Doncic and James than Jaxson Hayes. Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11)© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images On Wednesday, NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line that the Lakers will go after a center. While they like Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez, it's unclear if they will try to sign him. Advertisement "The Lakers have long been fans of Lopez, sources say," Fischer wrote. "That doesn't guarantee they will pursue him again, but the Lakers are indeed expected to be a player in the center market this summer." Shortly after this report from Fischer, the San Francisco Standard's Tim Kawakami reported intel related to Lopez and the Golden State Warriors (via Warriors Plus Minus podcast). "I've said stretch five before," Kawakami said of his previous reporting on Golden State's potential free agency targets. "I don't think it's gonna be stretch five now. I don't think it's going to be Brook Lopez. I think they're going to try and lean on Quinten Post." Lopez played for the Lakers during the 2017-18 season before the Bucks signed him the following offseason. He is a 2013 NBA All-Star and has impressively remade his game into becoming one of the best floor spacers and shot blockers in the league. Advertisement Doncic played with a player with a similar archetype in Kristaps Porzingis, though their partnership was imperfect in Dallas. Lopez is nearing the end of his career, and he has never been a locker room problem. Related: LeBron James Doesn't Hold Back While Discussing 2020 NBA Bubble This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
