Nuggets welcoming Lakers trade interest

The Los Angeles Lakers are revamping their roster in a big way this offseason after the departure of LeBron James. Now, Rob Pelinka and the front office are working on building around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves heading into the offseason.

Los Angeles made a number of big moves in an effort to do that, headlined by a massive sign-and-trade for Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler. The Lakers also signed the likes of Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes in free agency.

But LA isn’t done looking for help up front. The Lakers are now looking to possibly add Denver Nuggets big man Jonas Valanciunas in a trade according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

“Looney remains on the Lakers’ radar, sources say, as does Nuggets center Jonas Valančiūnas,” Stein and Fischer wrote. “The latter, remember, was a Lakers free agent target two summers ago before Valančiūnas opted to sign a multiyear deal with Washington instead.

“Sources say that the Lakers’ interest, furthermore, is certainly welcomed by the Nuggets, who have made Valančiūnas available in trade conversations since Denver’s season ended and especially in connection with the recent draft as the Nuggets explored various deals while also shopping the No. 26 overall pick. Denver ultimately shipped that selection to San Antonio for the No. 35 pick and two future second-rounders.”

Valanciunas has one year left on his contract that he signed with the Nuggets last offseason, but he could also opt to leave the NBA to go play for Europe, a move he nearly made before last season. However, the Lakers clearly covet his size and physicality on the interior.

Size has become a hot commodity in the NBA as the Spurs, led by Victor Wembanyama, have emerged as one of the top teams in the NBA. The Thunder have matched that with both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in the rotation, and the Lakers could not match that size in the playoffs a year ago. With Kessler and maybe Valanciunas coming in, it’s clear that LA doesn’t want that to be an issue moving forward.