At this point, it is fairly well established that the Los Angeles Lakers flamed out against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs due to their lack of depth, defense, and athleticism, especially in the frontcourt. That is why it is their top offseason priority to address those weaknesses.
Since they have limited financial resources and the free agent market for centers is not great, the Los Angeles Lakers will likely need to be active on the trade market to find a starting center. A trade similar to the voided deal for Mark Williams at the deadline, requiring LA's 2031 first-round pick and Dalton Knecht, will be the way to get a quality center.
Enter Goga Bitadze from the Orlando Magic. The 25-year-old Georgian center is one of the more underrated big men in the NBA. Stuck behind Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Wagner in the crowded center rotation in Orlando, Bitadze has flashed intriguing defensive upside and solid offensive production, albeit in limited minutes. He averaged 7.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 20.4 minutes per game last season on an impressive 63.1 True Shooting%.
The most intriguing part about the fit in Los Angeles is the fact that he is on the same timeline as Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. The 6'11 center is under contract for two more seasons and has a team-friendly salary of $8.3 million for the 2025-2026 season.
The downside for trading for Bitadze is that the Lakers would ideally need to find a solid backup at the same level as him. The Orlando Magic center has never played more than 20 minutes per game in his career, and the Lakers would be wise to get 48 minutes of solid center play.
Even though giving up Knecht and a future first-rounder may seem too much to pay, the Lakers can have some insurance by putting some protections on that first-round pick. This may not seem like the sexiest trade out there for Lakers fans, but it is a pretty low price to pay for a big man with untapped potential.
Bitadze is not going to average 20 points and 10 rebounds anytime soon, but he’s a very good rim protector and a rebounder. He doesn’t have too many weaknesses in his game and can be a decent pick-and-roll partner for Dončić.
Considering how limited the center market is out there, this might be one of the better and cheaper options the Lakers can realistically acquire without giving up any of their key players.