Few teams have as much riding on this summer as the Los Angeles Lakers. They have a major hole at the center that needs filling and have limited means to do so.
Previously, it was predicted that star LeBron James would take a pay cut to be able to give them the ability to use their full mid-level exception. However, he's already poured cold water on that idea, preventing the Lakers from having up to $15 million to work with.
Instead, they could have only around $5 million to solve their biggest problem, but they could potentially trade for a center. In fact, on a recent Bill Simmons podcast, Simmons floated the idea of the Lakers trading for Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis.
The Los Angeles Lakers should pursue Domantas Sabonis if available
Sabonis could be the next star to demand a trade after the Sacramento Kings failed to make the playoffs for the fourth time in his five seasons there. He is already set to meet with the Kings' ownership this summer to discuss his future. If he decides that he wants out, then the Kings would likely help him find a new team.
After all, despite being one of the best centers in the NBA, he is on a monster contract that far exceeds his production. He is also 27 years old, and the Kings are nowhere near contending for a championship. While Simmons himself admits that it may be a pipe dream, he did lay out a scenario in which it might make sense for the Kings to trade him to an in-state rival.
Simmons floats the idea of using expiring contracts, i.e., Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, and Gabe Vincent, and two first-round picks to entice the Kings. That would allow the Kings to get off of Sabonis' contract and allow them to pick up two first-round picks for their troubles.
Would the Sacramento Kings trade Sabonis to the Lakers?
In theory, that makes sense for the Kings, but only if Sabonis were to demand a trade and the Lakers were his top landing spot. In that case, the Kings might trade Sabonis since they would regain cap flexibility and pick up multiple first-round picks for their trouble.
It might not be as much as another team could offer, but Sabonis has a polarizing game with him being a high-level offensive player and a poor defender. As a result, teams may not be willing to offer multiple firsts, particularly with him set to make $46.7 million a year for the next three seasons.
Especially if he demands a trade this summer when Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns are available. If the Lakers were to land Sabonis, then they would have a supercharged offense consisting of him, Austin Reeves, Luka Dončić, and LeBron. That likely wouldn't solve their problem at center, at least defensively. But they could probably find a ring-chasing center to help them solidify the position in that scenario.
Ultimately, the prospect of the Lakers trading for Sabonis seems relatively low, but so did the prospect of them trading for Doncic, and we see how that turned out. Nevertheless, Lakers fans shouldn't get their hopes up unless Sabonis himself demands a trade this summer.