It is extremely well known that the Los Angeles Lakers are in the market for a center this offseason. The team’s lack of size in the paint was exposed in the playoffs and whether it is via free agency, trade or the NBA Draft, the Lakers need to add a true big man to the roster.
A trade would seem like the most obvious answer and there is one likely available who has some history with superstar Luka Doncic. Kristaps Porzingis spent three seasons alongside Doncic in Dallas, but the two never quite clicked. And now with Porzingis seemingly on the trade blcok as the Boston Celtics look to trim salary, a reunion of the two is unlikely.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, there is no interest from any party in a reunion of the two with the Lakers:
One thing that won’t happen — another Dončić-Kristaps Porziņģis pairing. There’s no indication that anyone wants to see that sequel.
While Porzingis is an extremely skilled big man who helped the Celtics win the NBA Championship in 2024, the Lakers are focused on building the right roster around Doncic long-term. And there is plenty of evidence that the two simply don’t have that chemistry on the court.
Doncic prefers playing with a more athletic, rim-running big man, whereas Porzingis plays more on the perimeter. It just isn’t a good pairing and the Lakers and Doncic understand that. Not to mention Porzingis’ injury history is sure to make any team wary about acquiring him as he has played more than 60 games in a season just once since 2020.
The Lakers are better off focusing on acquiring the bigs who are better suited playing alongside Doncic. There are many options to do so and the front office must do a good job of identifying and then acquiring that player who can anchor the frontcourt for years to come.
Lakers’ Luka Doncic ‘incredibly committed to conditioning’ this offseason
While the Lakers front office is focused on adding the right pieces around Luka Doncic, the superstar guard has been more focused on himself this summer, particularly his body and conditioning.
Doncic has reportedly been ‘incredibly committed to conditioning’ this offseason with pictures showing that he has lost considerable weight, something that has been a knock on him for a long time. Luka reportedly didn’t do any on-court work at the beginning of the offseason, choosing to focus solely more on his body and is on a strict diet in addition to the increased training.
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