Coming into the 2025 offseason, the Lakers will be looking to make some big changes to their roster. The center position has been an area of concern for the Lakers. They had Jaxson Hayes starting there in the postseason. However, there are some names out there in free agency who could provide more stability at the position.
One name to look out for is Clint Capela, who most recently played for the Atlanta Hawks.
Clint Capela Is a Fascinating Lakers FA Target
He is coming off a two-year, $45.88 million deal with the Hawks franchise. He is currently 31 years old and is entering this offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Capela averaged 8.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and dished out 1.1 assists per game during the 2024-2025 season. He will certainly not command that much per year entering free agency. Because of the Lakers' history, location, and who is on the Lakers roster, they could convince Capela to sign with the team in free agency.
Capela provides defensive stability and rim protection. In his last ten games of the 2024-2025 season, he blocked two shots per game. For the entire season, he averaged one block per game. Rim protection was a huge issue for the Lakers after they traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. Capela is a flexible option because he is comfortable starting or coming off the bench. Capela and Hayes could be a strong 1-2 punch at center for the team.
The Lakers could offer Capela $10-$13 million a year for Capela's services. It is highly doubtful that he will command what he made in his previous contract per year, making him a very realistic target. He could thrive playing next to LeBron James and Luka Doncic. He would get a lot of easy baskets and lob dunks from the two Lakers stars. He could also capitalize on scoring a lot of second-chance baskets and, of course, be a big value add defensively. Let's see if GM Rob Pelinka agrees and signs him this summer.