The Los Angeles Lakers, much like every other NBA team, have a lot of work to do this offseason. A quick playoff exit revealed plenty of shortcomings across the Lakers' lineup, with the most glaring issue being the team's lack of reliable frontcourt depth.
Fast forward to the start of free agency, and the Lakers haven't done anything to address their center position. In fact, signing veteran wing Jake LaRavia to a two-year, $11 million contract is the only thing general manager Rob Pelinka has done of note. It's safe to say L.A.'s title odds won't improve as long as the status quo remains, especially as available centers continue falling off the board.
Fortunately, the summer is still young, meaning there's plenty of time to bolster the frontcourt. Having said that, the latest NBA trade rumors are linking the Lakers to one center who should be avoided at all costs.
Lakers Shouldn't Trade for C Nick Richards After Latest NBA Rumors
On Tuesday, Clutch Point's Brett Siegel reported that "the Lakers have held talks with Phoenix about a Nick Richards trade." This report backs up fellow NBA insider Michael Scotto's recent claim that L.A. has had interest in the Suns' big man.
The Lakers have held talks with Phoenix about a Nick Richards trade, league sources told @ClutchPoints.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) July 2, 2025
LA was a team listed by @MikeAScotto as having interest in Richards.
Team has also called about potential Yves Missi and Robert Williams III trades with NOP & POR.
Richards, 27, is a seven-footer who's played 257 games (108 starts) since being drafted 42nd overall in 2020. He averaged 9.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and a 59.1% field-goal percentage in 57 games (43 starts) split between the Suns and Charlotte Hornets last season.
Having said that, trading for Richards would be a massive mistake despite the Lakers' big-man needs.
The former Kentucky product is an awful defender and wouldn't give the Lakers much protection down low. He's recorded a negative defensive box plus/minus in every season he's played, and is constantly called out for his terrible defense at the time. That's the type of player who'd add more headaches to head coach JJ Redick's lineup, not solve the pre-existing ones.
Even if he's an upgrade over names like Len and Hayes, it isn't a big enough difference for the Lakers to pull the trigger on a trade, even if it doesn't cost much to get a deal done. Los Angeles would be better off pursuing the other trade targets Siegel mentioned (Yves Missi and Robert Williams III).
Whether it's via trade or free agency, the Lakers need a bigger difference-maker than Richards if they want to improve their outlook. For now, they'll head into the rest of July with the seventh-best 2025-26 NBA Championship odds (+1600) on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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