Coming off another disappointing postseason loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers need to have a strong offseason in order to get back into championship contention.
After losing to Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, the Lakers failed to address their frontcourt and the result was another loss in similar fashion in 2024.
With that being the case, the Lakers are expected to prioritize the center position in the upcoming draft and free agency. One option who is available is New Orleans Pelicans free agent Jonas Valanciunas and the Lakers are reportedly interested, via Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports:
Pelicans center Jonas Valančiūnas, who’s approaching unrestricted free agency, has been another big man often mentioned by NBA figures as a potential Lakers frontcourt addition this summer.
If the Lakers are looking to add a big, bruising center for matchups like Jokic and the Nuggets, then Valanciunas may be the best and most realistic option out there. At 6’11” and 265 pounds, he can play alongside Anthony Davis some and help on the defensive glass while also taking on a bigger role in games that the star center is out of the lineup.
In 82 games with New Orleans last season, Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds. He has also worked on his 3-point shot in recent years so can provide some floor spacing, which is important in lineups that include Davis and LeBron James.
It remains to be seen how much money the Lakers will have to spend as that depends on if James and D’Angelo Russell opt in or out, but Valanciunas could be an option for their mid-level exception if his free agent market doesn’t materialize.
The Lakers also own the No. 17 and 55 picks in the NBA Draft that begins on Wednesday, so if they choose a center with either of those picks then they may no longer have a need for someone like Valanciunas.
Lakers also interested in Jerami Grant & Collin Sexton
As is usually the case around this time of the year, the Lakers have been linked to a number of players that can improve their roster, not just Valanciunas.
One of the Lakers’ other needs is 3-and-D players on the wing and in the backcourt, and two players they have reported interest in that would address those needs are Jerami Grant and Collin Sexton.
Both of those players are under contract with their respective teams so it would take a trade to acquire either.
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