After a season filled with ups, downs, and injuries, the Lakers find themselves in an offseason in which they will have to make significant roster moves to build around star player Luka Doncic. 

The Lakers seemed to have found their groove in the month of March, winning 9 straight games from March 6th to March 21st. Shortly after, star players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves went down with injuries before the playoffs. 

Throughout the Lakers' 2026 playoff run, it was evident their roster had holes that needed to be addressed in the offseason. Los Angeles' bigs struggled in the second round of the playoffs, and outside of LeBron James and Austin Reaves, nobody was able to consistently provide a lift for them on offense. 

The Lakers must prioritize upgrading their frontcourt this offseason. Since trading away Anthony Davis, their frontcourt has underperformed. Throughout the postseason, centers Jaxon Hayes and DeAndre Ayton struggled to put together a consistent number of good games. 

When they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, the Thunder completely shut down the Lakers' interior offense. Most of the scoring came from the perimeter, and the Thunder were able to have more control over the interior. 

The Lakers should consider signing a veteran big man who can either space the floor or be a reliable anchor on defense. Two notable free agent centers who could help the Lakers are Nikola Vucevic and Jusuf Nurkic. 

Vucevic can provide shooting and rebounding to any team he signs with. While his production has slightly dropped, his offensive game is still reliable and can alleviate pressure on the Lakers' guards. 

Jusuf Nurkic is a player who is a solid defender and rebounder. He is a veteran big man who has years of playoff experience. He has had injury issues in recent seasons, but he can be a reliable piece to the Lakers' frontcourt. 

The Lakers could also use some depth on the wing. They should make it a priority to bring back Rui Hachimura. Hachimura provides a good mix of shooting and defending on the perimeter and was one of the most reliable catch-and-shoot players on the team. 

Hachimura has shown the ability to drive to the rim as well as to be a decent facilitator. He will have to be paired up with other shooters around the perimeter to have true success. 

C.J. McCollum and Khris Middleton are players who will be unrestricted free agents and can add a huge lift to the Lakers' offense. They both add shooting on the wing and can create more space for Luka Doncic.

Either of them could serve as a reliable third option if Los Angeles chooses to let LeBron James walk. 

The Lakers are faced with various options for how to build their team around Luka Doncic, and it will come down to who Doncic prefers to play next to this upcoming season.