Lakers Lose Out on 2 of Top 3 Targets on Opening Day of NBA Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Los Angeles Lakers entered the opening day of NBA free agency on Monday, June 30, with their eyes on three potential acquisitions at the center position.
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By the time midnight began creeping around, two of those three players had signed with rival Western Conference playoff teams.
Dan Woike of The Athletic laid out the Lakers’ top three targets at their greatest position of need via a Monday report.
“Armed with the $14.1 million mid-level exception, the Lakers are expected to chase Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez and the Atlanta Hawks’ Clint Capela, with the surprise addition of Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton as another target on their list,” Woike wrote.
The first domino to fall was Capela.
“Free agent center Clint Capela has agreed to a three-year, $21.5 million deal with the Houston Rockets, sources tell ESPN,” Shams Charania of ESPN reported via X. “Major front-court addition — and return to Houston for Capela.”
The next Lakers’ loss came in the form of Lopez, who inked a two-year deal with the crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers.
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“Free agent center Brook Lopez has agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN,” Charania reported on social media. “Clippers and Lopez’s agents at Wasserman negotiate a new deal for the 2021 Bucks champion to exit Milwaukee and land in Los Angeles.”
Ayton is the last of the three remaining and won’t clear waivers until Tuesday night. If Los Angeles misses out on him, the Lakers could be in serious trouble with regards to adding a center alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James, as the Golden State Warriors are currently the frontrunners to sign former Boston Celtics big man Al Horford.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.