The Los Angeles Lakers have plans for another trade following their acquisition of Luka Dončić. Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president and general manager, acknowledged the significant gap left by Anthony Davis, whom they traded for Dončić in one of the most unexpected deals in NBA history.“
We know we have a need for a big,” Pelinka mentioned to reporters during Dončić’s introductory press conference. “The market for bigs right now, leading into the last two or three days of the trade deadline, is very dry. There’s just not a lot available. So maybe we’ll be able to do some stuff around the margins. I would say, in terms of a big move for that position, it’s probably more realistic that that would be something that comes in the offseason. But Luka will be at the center of that, as we build for the long term.”
Currently, the Lakers have Jaxson Hayes, who has started in their last two games, as the only healthy center, with Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III on two-way contracts. Christian Wood, sidelined by a knee injury since last February, has not yet recovered.
A Center to Complement Luka Dončić
Before the Dončić trade, the Lakers were in search of a center. While that remains a priority, the focus has shifted since acquiring him. Previously, they sought a physical center to pair with Davis, but now, they are shaping their team around Dončić, who thrived with rim-running centers in Dallas.
Pelinka outlined “versatility, nobility, and a vertical lob threat” as the qualities they now seek in a new big man post-Davis. “I think that’s a key to the spacing that Luka likes to play with,” Pelinka said. He also highlighted competitiveness as an essential trait for the new center. “I think those are some of the core things there. Those players are hard to find but we’re going to, we’ll accomplish the task that’s before us. We’ll find a way.” Much like they found a way to pull off the Dončić trade, which many thought was impossible.
Lakers’ Center Options
The Lakers have only one first-round pick (2031), three pick swaps, and their 2025 second-round pick left to improve their center rotation. If no further trades happen before the February 6 deadline, the Lakers might resort to small ball, with players like Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, or even LeBron James filling in at center.
This will become a more significant challenge when facing powerhouse teams in the Western Conference, such as the Denver Nuggets with Nikola Jokic, Minnesota Timberwolves with Rudy Gobert, and others like the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Los Angeles Clippers.
The Lakers were previously linked to several potential centers, including Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas, Utah’s Walker Kessler, and Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic. They might also wait until the 2026 offseason when they will have more cap space to find their long-term center to pair with Dončić.
