Lakers Predicted to Land $45 Million Big Man

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dibyendu Mondal | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 3:03 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are predicted to land veteran center Clint Capela, per Bleacher Report, who is expected to leave Atlanta this summer, as they seek to solidify their frontcourt depth around LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

With Atlanta benching him in favor of Onyeka Okongwu and exploring a rebuild, Capela appears primed for a change of scenery.

"Capela, 31, has probably aged out of his stay in Atlanta. Onyeka Okongwu and others will fill that spot, leaving the veteran rebounder and shot-blocker to find a new home." Eric Pincus wrote on Wednesday.

"He should expect a decrease in pay, but he may be one of the top available bigs on the market. He's not much of a scorer, and his efficiency at the rim has dropped from 65.3 percent from the field in 2022-3 to 55.9 percent."

"Still, he might provide a team with double-double production as a 24-minute starter, sharing minutes on a playoff-capable team," he added.

Internally, the Lakers face a salary cap squeeze, lacking true free-agent space. They've earmarked the taxpayer mid-level exception (~$5.7 million) and have more than $70 million tied up in expiring contracts and locked-in stars like James ($52.6 million) and Doncic ($46.0 million).

Currently, Capela is in a $45 million two-year contract with the Hawks. If acquired, he would immediately address LA’s lack of interior defense and rebounding.

In Atlanta, he’s averaged 11.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in under 26.5 minutes per game, showing he can still deliver rim protection and pick-and-roll finishing without heavy scoring expectations.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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