The Los Angeles Lakers could target one of the centers from the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason.
Given the circumstances, the Los Angeles Lakers had a successful season in 2025-26, finishing fourth in the Western Conference and making the second round of the playoffs before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Normally, a second round exit would be looked at as a failure for a team with Luka Doncic and LeBron James, but with Luka injured in early April and missing the entire playoffs, defeating the Houston Rockets in the first round before falling to the defending champions should be viewed as an accomplishment.
If the Lakers were healthy and playing how they played in March where they lost just two games, who knows how the playoffs would have shaken out.
Addressing A Big Need
Despite their success throughout the regular season, one thing became clear in the playoffs: the Lakers need a center who can impact the game on both ends of the floor.
The Lakers signed Deandre Ayton in the offseason to a two-year deal after he was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers.
The team's need for a big was evident after the 2025 playoffs when Minnesota Timberwolves bigs Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid dominated the Lakers on the inside as Jaxson Hayes and undersized forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt stood little chance.
Ayton had a solid season for the Lakers as a fourth option, averaging 12.1 points and eight rebounds, but lacked consistency throughout the regular season, especially on the defensive end.
In the playoffs, he was throughly outplayed in the second round by OKC bigs Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren.
A Former Luka Teammate?
The mock trade has Los Angeles acquiring Daniel Gafford in exchange for Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, and the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Gafford played in 55 games this past season, averaging 9.5 points and 6.9 rebounds. He was a big part of the Mavericks success in 2024 alongside Luka when the team went to the NBA Finals.
While Ayton, the number one overall pick in 2018, needs the ball more on the offensive end to stay engaged, Gafford is a low-maintenance player who brings energy to the defensive end and runs the rim hard, making him an easy target for Luka lobs.
If the Mavericks were willing to part with Gafford, the Lakers should immediately pounce on the idea.
