It isn't shocking that the Los Angeles Lakers have been the center of some early offseason drama. There are questions as to the future of LeBron James and if the star is truly considering leaving Los Angeles. The fact that the Lakers can offer both Luka and the presence of the star's son weighs heavily in their favor.
However, there is no denying that the early-season moves aren't the type you can put your arms around as helping the organization climb in a loaded Western Conference. Getting beaten by the Wolves in the first round of this year's playoffs perfectly exposed what problems the current roster needed to solve.
These are yet to be addressed and remain a concern as options at center continue to dwindle. From the perspective of Rob Pelinka, however, it appears the team has gotten its number one target under wraps already. A recent report suggested that Jake LaRavia was the first call the organization made when free agency opened. Not attempting to land any of the market's best but opting to focus on an up-and-coming bench option. This is hardly reassuring that the Lakers are approaching the offseason with the needed sense of urgency.
The Lakers' First Free Agency Call Was Jake LaRavia
Rob Pelinka’s first call when free agency opened was to Jake LaRavia, per @DanWoikeSports
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 1, 2025
“According to league sources, LaRavia was the Lakers’ first call when free agency officially opened at 3 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday. In his conversation with Rob Pelinka and Lakers coach… pic.twitter.com/hX1f21ByfM
This isn't to disrespect the addition of LaRavia, who is an exciting bench addition. And yet it doesn't solve the clear size and defensive concerns the franchise should be focused on. You cannot run a lineup with LeBron, Austin Reaves, and Luka expecting to beat the top contenders in the conference. As we watched in the NBA Finals and in the round before, the top teams are built around defensive intensity and seemingly endless defensive options to throw at opposing teams.
Los Angeles needs to focus on adding this type of impact players who can help cover for Luka and an aging LeBron James. As great as this addition might be, it far from fixes the myriad of concerns the team is still facing.
Considering the team's current options, it would be a surprise not to see more signings and trade moves over the next two months. With limited draft capital and two stars, the team has no reason not to continue to attempt to push its chips to the center of the table