Lakers Should be Wary of Top Center Trade Option

The Los Angeles Lakers are canvassing the league for ways to improve their roster. Now that they have been out of the playoffs for a couple of weeks, they have turned their attention to improving their roster.

After the Minnesota Timberwolves exposed their weaknesses, the Lakers are going to try to get better on the defensive end of the court. In order to do that, they have to get a new starting center.

While Jaxon Hayes played some of the best basketball of his career, it wasn't anywhere near good enough. Simply put, he's not a rim protector that others fear.

Los Angeles will have to fix this issue via a trade. They have too little cap space to get any decent center in free agency, and the crop of free agents isn't very good anyway.

One target who has been brought up frequently is Nic Claxton. The young center for the Nets would fit the exact kind of center that the Lakers are looking for.

Claxton is a great rebounder, premier shot-blocker, and he can score when called upon. Better yet, he's just 26 years old, so he could grow with Luka Doncic.

The problem is that his stats dipped dramatically last season. His stats plummted from his career-highs that were set a couple of years ago in Brooklyn.

Claxton also makes a lot of money. He is due more than $66 million over the next three years. Do the Lakers want to pay someone that kind of money for just 10 points and 7 rebounds per game?

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The Lakers could talk themselves into the fact that a reduction in his stats likely comes from the fact that the Nets have been losing in each of the last two seasons and he hasn't had many good players around him.

Los Angeles wants to make sure that they get this center position right after the failed trade with Mark Williams. They aren't going to rush into anything this offseason.

Even though Claxton's stats last year weren't ideal, he might be one of the best options available to them this summer.

Claxton averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game.

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