It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are heading into the offseason with a lot of needs, but perhaps chief among them is the center position.
Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes were both serviceable last season, but the Lakers are still looking for their long-term solution at the center position to pair with Luka Doncic. One option they appear to have inquired about is Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans, although he might not be on the trade block, per Ian Begley of SNY:
Multiple teams, including the Lakers, have reached out to the Pelicans about Yves Missi, but the Pelicans have resisted those offers.
The Lakers have been linked to Missi in the past and he would represent a quality buy-low option after regressing in his second season with the Pelicans. The 22-year-old played 26.8 minutes a game during his rookie season and averaged 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
In his second season, those numbers dipped to 19.7 minutes, 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Because of that decrease in playing time, it would make sense for the Pelicans to shop him and go in a different direction, although that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Perhaps the Lakers can overwhelm the Pelicans with an offer they can’t refuse, although L.A. would obviously need to believe Missi is their long-term answer at center in order to do that. The Lakers have also been linked to Kel’el Ware leading up to the draft after he was traded from the Miami Heat to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster deal.
Similar to Missi though, it remains unclear if Ware is even available, so the Lakers will likely need to look elsewhere for a center. Perhaps they bring back Ayton, Hayes or both if they strike out elsewhere.
Luka Doncic wants Lakers to add ‘A-list’ center
Doncic has traditionally thrived with a rim-protecting center who can set screens and catch lobs. And according to reports, he has expressed to the Lakers that he wants them to add an “A-list” center this offseason.
That puts Rob Pelinka in a tricky situation as the best centers on the free agent market like Jalen Duren and Walker Kessler are both restricted free agents. The unrestricted free agent class isn’t great, which is why it’s not a surprise to see them scouring the trade market for young centers like Missi and Ware.
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