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Lakers Predicted To Make Blockbuster Trade For East Center

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 2:24 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers need to acquire a center this offseason and one NBA analyst proposed a trade idea for the purple and gold to accomplish that goal.

The Lakers were projected to compete for the championship this year after acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks in February. However, Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick played without a traditional center in the second half of Game 4 and all of Game 5 of the Timberwolves series. Jaxson Hayes, who started at center for Los Angeles after Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas for Doncic, was unplayable against Minnesota All-Star Rudy Gobert.

During his end-of-the-season press conference with local reporters, Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka said he will attempt to acquire a center this offseason.

With that said, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report proposed that the Lakers trade Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, a 2028 first-round pick swap and a 2031 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Nicolas Claxton.

"With the Lakers, Claxton could get back to the volume of rim-running and rim-protecting he did in 2022-23, when he averaged 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, shot a league-leading 70.5 percent from the field and finished top-10 in Defensive Player of the Year voting," Bailey wrote.

Claxton will make $25.3 million next season. He appeared in 70 games for the Nets this season, averaging 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 blocks while shooting 56.3% from the field.

If the Lakers acquire Claxton, Redick could start Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, LeBron James and Claxton next season.

The 26-year-old Claxton has spent his entire career with the Nets. The lefty has career averages of 10.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 blocks in 311 NBA games.

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

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