LA Sports Hub
Fansided

Lakers Miss Out on Perfect Free Agent Center After Trade Deadline

The Los Angeles Lakers are desperate to add another center to their lineup. Unfortunately, they just missed out on the perfect free agent who could've helped.

By Devon Platana

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick talks to media members after defeating the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick talks to media members after defeating the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

Luka Doncic made his Los Angeles Lakers debut on Monday night and it couldn't have gone better. The Lakers emerged victorious with a massive 132-113 win over the Utah Jazz at crypto.com Arena, the type of positivity JJ Redick's team needed after the trade deadline deal for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams was rescinded over the weekend.

Even though they're coming off a win, the Lakers can't ignore their pressing frontcourt need. Finding a reliable center is crucial to going on a potential championship run this spring.

The trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, however, center-needy teams like Los Angeles can still sign free agents. Unfortunately, the Lakers just missed out on a name they should've been targeting from the get-go.

Lakers News: Daniel Theis Signs with AS Monaco

Veteran center Daniel Theis is heading overseas after signing with AS Monaco, according to BasketNews' Donatas Urbonas. The German big man was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder last week after being traded from the New Orleans Pelicans before the deadline.

Urbonas added that Theis had received "bigger EuroLeague offers and NBA opportunities," but clearly none were enticing enough to keep him in North America.

Theis, 32, struggled to fit into the Pelicans' lineup. The 6-foot-8 center averaged 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds across 38 games (9 starts) while shooting 47.3% from the floor and 24.3% from deep. Although that's far from the best performance, his signing leaves the Lakers with one fewer center to target.

With Theis off the board, the Lakers are left to explore their available options. They've recently been linked to former 2015 first-rounder Frank Kominsky while free-agent options like Mo Bamba and JaVale McGee are still out there. Who knows? Perhaps the buyout market will add another name to the list.

The silver lining here is that oddsmakers still have faith in Redick & Co. despite the lack of a legitimate starting center. FanDuel Sportsbook is currently listing the Lakers as having the sixth-best 2024-25 NBA Finals odds (+2200) ahead of the regular season's final stretch.

More Los Angeles Lakers News and Rumors:

feed

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Home/Los Angeles Lakers