At the top of the Los Angeles Lakers' list of offseason priorities should be to address their lack of a starting center. After trading Anthony Davis, the Lakers failed to add a starting-caliber center, and it came back to bite them in their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fortunately for the Lakers, there is a perfect off-season free agent target who could help them next season.
Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez is one of the best stretch fives in the NBA, with him shooting 37.3% from 3 this season on high volume. Combine that with him being one of the better rim protectors in the league, and he would make for an excellent fit with the Lakers.
After all, they are in desperate need of more size up front, with them having paper-thin depth at center. Better still, Lopez will be a free agent this summer and, at 37 years old, likely will be willing to take less to play for a championship contender.
Seeing how the Bucks have lost in the first round three of the last four seasons and how Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely demand a trade, he could very well play elsewhere. The Lakers won't have much to offer as far as salary, but can offer a starting role on a team that has two superstars, Luka Dončić and LeBron James. That alone could help sway Lopez to head west, and he may not be alone.
The Los Angeles Lakers could sign two centers this summer
It's been a while since we've seen honest-to-goodness ring chasers in the NBA. However, it wasn't that long ago when veterans would take less to play for a contender in hopes of winning the championship later in their careers. Given how unpredictable the NBA has been in recent years when it comes to championships, it's harder for those players to land on a team that ultimately wins the title.
However, the Lakers would be the team to attract veteran free agents looking to add a ring to their resume. And in addition to Lopez, they could also target Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela. Capela isn't expected to re-sign with the Hawks, given that Onyeka Okonkwo has taken his spot in the starting lineup.
With him having 11 years in the NBA and no championship to show for it, he may be resigned to playing a backup role on a good team. One reason is that he is unlikely to get a massive contract this summer, with centers being readily available and more coming into the league every year.
Convincing both to take a pay cut would give them a strong center rotation, including the returning Jaxson Hayes, who played reasonably well in an expanded role late last season. If the Lakers ultimately can, then they would be far better next season with more size, rebounding, defense, and shooting, helping to bolster their starting five.