The Los Angeles Lakers have been looking for the same thing to help them improve their roster for the past calendar year, and it's been a center. They were not able to upgrade the position as they wanted to during last season, and it came back to bite them in their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where Rudy Gobert had a field day with their frontcourt.
The Lakers have come into this offseason with the same goal in mind, which is upgrading their center depth, and they are already showing interest in one player, according to Jake Fischer.
Article Continues Below“Perhaps the most established center headed for the open market is the ring-winning Brook Lopez,” Fischer said. “Two summers ago, you'll recall, both San Antonio and Houston pursued Lopez aggressively before the Bucks successfully convinced him to re-sign.
“This time around, however, numerous rival teams are bracing for the center-craving Los Angeles Lakers to make a run at luring Lopez away from the Bucks.”
Lopez would be a nice fit for the Bucks, and though he isn't the same defender he was a few seasons ago, he can still stretch the floor on offense. He'll definitely get some good looks, especially playing with someone like Luka Doncic.
Lakers looking for center depth in the offseason
It's no surprise that the Lakers are looking for a center, and they seem to have several players they're interested in. They're also looking at Clint Capela, but are still keeping their eye on Lopez when free agency begins.
“Even if the Lakers plan to address their center void by pursuing Atlanta's Clint Capela instead or perhaps a target not as frequently discussed, there is a growing belief Lopez will indeed be on the move next week after a highly successful seven-season stint alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Fischer said.
Right now, it looks like the Lakers are seeking vets to add at the center position, and maybe down the line during the season, they can land someone else in a trade. With the way they were dominated in the paint during the playoffs, it's imperative that they find a solid rim protector in free agency. There are other positions that they'll need to improve, but center should be at the top of the list.
Whether it is Lopez or Capela, the Lakers need to do whatever they can to land someone at the position this time around.