After their disappointing first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Timberwolves (1-4), the Lakers are already working on planning for next season, and they are very clear that one of their weak points this season has been the interior game, without a reference center to complement their powerful perimeter with LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Their initial target was Daniel Gafford, who has one year left on his contract with the Mavericks, but the initial reports they were handling indicated that the 2.08m, 26-year-old center was not available. However, according to US media, the situation seems to have changed in recent days and the Lakers are hopeful of being able to negotiate a trade with Dallas to acquire his services.
Gafford’s negotiations with the Mavs appear to be at a standstill as the center will enter next season in the final year of his contract (for which he would earn $14.3 million), and wants his team to significantly increase his salary to ensure his continuity beyond 2026. But Dallas is not so sure, as its starting center, Dereck Lively, also has one year left on his contract.
Gafford is at a standstill with the organization. At 26 years old, he has proven to be one of the hardest-working and most effective centers coming off the bench. Averaging 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, the Mavs center contributed solidly to the team’s performance, even in his few games as a starter.
Contract extension or transfer
The Mavs could offer Gafford a contract extension, but if they do not reach an agreement, they would be willing to trade him to get something in return for him before he becomes a free agent and leaves the franchise for free in 2026.
The Mavericks feel in a privileged position after obtaining the first pick in the draft lottery, which will allow them to select Cooper Flagg as number one. But they are aware that the most urgent concern they have right now is the signing of a point guard, because the injured Kyrie Irving will not be able to reappear, at the earliest, until January 2026.
In that sense, the Mavericks could include Gafford in a trade that guarantees them the arrival of a playmaker and perhaps another role player. This need for Dallas and the Lakers could lead both franchises to enter into negotiations in which the Los Angeles team could offer Gabe Vincent, a 6-foot-2, 28-year-old point guard, and Dalton Knecht, a 6-foot-6, 24-year-old shooting guard, in exchange for Daniel Gafford, the big man they need to strengthen their interior game.
Nic Claxton and Mitchell Robinson in his sights
But Gafford is not the only center the Lakers have their eye on. Nic Claxton and Mitchell Robinson are also said to be on their radar. Claxton, the Nets’ 6-foot-2 center, is one of the most versatile defensive players in the league and according to Jovan Buha, an expert on the Los Angeles franchise, he would be another of their main targets as he is also an expert at finishing alley-oop plays.
The main obstacle in his case would be that he is entering the second year of a four-year, $97 million contract, and to match his $25.3 million salary would require the Lakers to include valuable assets such as Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt, along with draft compensation.
Mitchell Robinson, the 7-foot center for the Knicks, would be cheaper and would fulfill a similar defensive role, but there are serious concerns about his health and rebounding consistency that relegate him on their list of future prospects.
Zikarsky, 7’2″ and 18 years old, in his draft orbit
Los Los Angeles Lakers desperately need a center, and they could get one in Bleacher Report’s latest 2025 mock draft. The Lakers will only have the 55th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and could have a shot at Australian Rocco Zikarsky, a 7-foot-2, 18-year-old center. But more thinking about a good progression for the medium-term future than for the immediate present.
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