6 big men the Lakers should pair Luka Doncic with before the NBA trade deadline
After pulling off one of the most shocking trades in NBA history to land Luka Doncic, the Lakers now need to find a big man to pair alongside him.
Los Angeles traded Anthony Davis to land Doncic, which means they do not exactly have a starting-caliber big man on the roster beyond perhaps Jaxson Hayes. Here is what Rob Pelinka said about that during the Doncic introductory press conference:
"We know that our roster has continued work to do to become complete ... We know we have a need for a big. The market for bigs right now leading into the last two or three days of the trade deadline is very dry. There is just not a lot available. So maybe we'll be able to do some stuff around the margins. But in terms of a big move for that position, it is probably more realistic that would be something that comes in the offseason."
According to Pelinka, however, Doncic will play a huge role in how they build their roster. That includes what they are looking for in their new big man to replace Davis. `
When asked about what the Lakers are looking for at the position, Pelinka mentioned versatility and mobility and competitiveness. However, he also mentioned perhaps the most important detail.
"A vertical lob threat. I think that is a key to the spacing that Luka likes to play with," Pelinka said. "Those players are hard to find."
During a recent TV segment, Dave McMenamin echoed a similar sentiment (via ESPN):
"Part of the reason why Luka was so effective last year in leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals was having Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford, who who he could have lob threat to at the rim. Those guys stayed in Dallas. They didn't come to L.A. with Luka. But the Lakers will be looking to find a player with a similar skill set as we reach toward Thursday's trade deadline."
Some of the names that McMenamin mentioned include Utah's Walker Kessler, Portland's Robert Williams III, and Toronto's Jakob Poeltl.
But it is unclear if any of them are actually available to Los Angeles. Additionally, per The Athletic, many of the most prominent names on the market do not "appeal" to them right now.
"If there is not a championship big on the market right now, I can't wave a wand and create that opportunity," Pelinka said.
Perhaps none of the following names are the title-contending center that Los Angeles will need. But it is more than clear that this is a franchise looking for a lob threat.
So using data via NBA.com, per 36 minutes, we looked at the players who are currently the most prolific alley-oop finishers in the league. We excluded some of the players who fit this description (Miami's Kel'el Ware, Detroit's Jalen Duren, and Charlotte's Mark Williams) who are likely not available via trade.
Lively (1.36) and Gafford (1.07) both rank near the top, so here are some other names who are potentially available and could play a similar role in Los Angeles.
1. Robert Williams III
TEAM: Portland Trail Blazers
LOBS PER 36: 2.20
2024-25 SALARY: $12.4 million
If the Lakers want a lob threat, among those who have played at least 200 minutes, there is no more prolific option than Portland's Robert Williams III. The Lakers are "known to have interest" in Williams, per The Athletic.
According to The Ringer's Kirk Goldsberry, the two names that "keep coming up" for the Lakers are Williams as well as Brooklyn's Nicolas Claxton. He said that he would "guess" that one of them will eventually end up in Los Angeles.
Jake Fischer added that Williams is one of the big men "perceived to be available" before the deadline. He is perhaps "the most coveted center" on the market and was reportedly a target for Los Angeles even before they got Doncic.
Portland, however, is considered not "eager" to trade Williams after he was one of the main players they ultimately received in their return after trading away Damian Lillard.
2. Clint Capela
TEAM: Atlanta Hawks
LOBS PER 36: 1.60
2024-25 SALARY: $22.9 million
According to HoopsHype, Clint Capela has "drawn trade interest" from multiple teams after the Hawks moved the big man to their bench. He is considered the "most available" big man on their roster, via Marc Stein.
But, per the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers "haven't spoken" to the Hawks about the center and may not have interest in matching his $22.3 million cap hit in outgoing salary. Here is more from Sam Amick (via The Athletic):
"League sources say the Lakers have been attempting to use the contracts of Gabe Vincent ($11 million this season, $11.5 million next) and Maxi Kleber ($11 million this season; $11 million next season) in this pursuit. One significant hurdle, however, is that Kleber (who came to the Lakers in the Dončić deal) can only be traded in a one-for-one deal rather than being aggregated. Conceivably, that takes options like Atlanta big man Clint Capela (who is on an expiring deal worth $22.2 million) off the board."
So that explains why Capela is likely not getting more buzz as a potential fit in Los Angeles.
3. Nic Claxton
TEAM: Brooklyn Nets
LOBS PER 36: 1.59
2024-25 SALARY: $27.5 million
As mentioned earlier, per The Ringer's Goldsberry, Brooklyn's Claxton and Portland's Williams are two of the most common names mentioned as potential targets for the Lakers.
The Nets signed Claxton to four-year extension this past offseason, and while he has perhaps regressed a bit with his productivity this season, he still remains a potentially enticing player as a lob threat and valuable defensive player.
However, much like with Capela, it might be tough for Los Angeles to send enough outgoing salary to match his lucrative cap hit in a trade.
4. Deandre Ayton
TEAM: Portland Trail Blazers
LOBS PER 36: 1.56
2024-25 SALARY: $34.0 million
Portland is considered "more inclined" to trade Deandre Ayton than Williams, his aforementioned teammate.
The Trail Blazers would likely want to make room to have more minutes for Donovan Clingan, who they recently selected early in the 2024 NBA Draft. For the Lakers, meanwhile, Ayton could have at least some tangible valuable as a player who has postseason experience and tremendous size on the inside.
Among all the players discussed in this list, even more so than Claxton and Capela, the former No. 1 pick is perhaps the most unrealistic because of how much the Lakers would have to offer to reach his $34.0 million cap hit in outgoing salary.
5. Walker Kessler
TEAM: Utah Jazz
LOBS PER 36: 1.44
2024-25 SALARY: $2.9 million
The most intriguing fit for the Lakers is Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler, though according to ESPN's Shams Charania, the price is "very high" for the former first-round pick.
Fischer reported that Kessler is indeed "another notable Lakers’ target" but that the Jazz have declined "multiple overtures" for the big man. But the Jazz would need to get "blown away" by an offer to make a deal, via The Athletic.
Unlike other players on this list, Los Angeles would not have to provide much in outgoing salary for the trade to work for the Jazz. However, they would likely have to surrender more young assets and valuable draft picks.
6. Day'Ron Sharpe
TEAM: Brooklyn Nets
LOBS PER 36: 0.85
2024-25 SALARY: $3.9 million
He isn't as much of a traditional lob threat as the other names on this list but Brooklyn's Day'Ron Sharpe, who can throw down lobs, is perhaps the perfect middle-ground of a relatively cheap and attainable asset for Los Angeles to consider.
He fits the description that Amick laid out earlier today (via The Athletic):
"It remains entirely possible, if not likely, that the Lakers find a much cheaper short-term option before revisiting the issue in the summer."
Sharpe is "known to be on the market" at the deadline, per Fischer. HoopsHype reported that the Lakers were one of several teams that have "monitored" Sharpe long before they landed Doncic.
Other teams will "continue to call" about Sharpe, per SNY's Ian Begley.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 6 big men the Lakers should pair Luka Doncic with before the NBA trade deadline
