Heading into the 2025 NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of work to do. They have Luka Doncic and LeBron James leading the way, but they need to add more help for their two superstar players.
During the NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, two clear needs became obvious. The Lakers will need to add more defense, and they badly need to upgrade the center position.
However, making those additions might prove to be difficult. Los Angeles doesn’t have a lot of financial wiggle room and Rob Pelinka will have to get creative if he wants to keep Austin Reaves around long-term.
With that being said, the Lakers have now been connected to an intriguing name in NBA free agency who could be a perfect fit for the team.
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According to a report from NBA insider Jake Fischer, Los Angeles could look to pursue Milwaukee Bucks’ impending free agent center Brook Lopez.
“The Lakers have long been fans of Lopez, sources say. That doesn’t guarantee they will pursue him again. But the Lakers are indeed expected to be a player in the center market this summer,” Fischer wrote.
Lopez may be an aging center, but he can still defend the rim and rebound well. He can also space the floor and knock down the three-point shot. Those are all very important things that the Lakers badly need in their center.
During the 2024-25 NBA season with the Bucks, Lopez played in 80 games. He averaged 13 points per game to go along with five rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.8 assists, while shooting 50.9 percent from the floor and 37.3 percent from three-point distance.
At 37 years old, Los Angeles would likely be able to land Lopez on a team-friendly deal. That would check all of the boxes the Lakers have in the need department.
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More than likely, there will be other teams with interest in signing Lopez as well. He’s still a quality big man at this stage of his career.
Los Angeles does have the pull of being a big market and one of the most stories franchises in the NBA. That draw would be tough for a player like Lopez to turn down, especially with the added bonus of playing alongside Doncic and James.
While it’s not a guarantee that the Lakers will pursue Lopez, he seems to be a name worth keeping a very close eye on.
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