In terms of personnel moves, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ first task this offseason is to obtain a starting-caliber center who is defensive-minded. Jaxson Hayes, their only true center on a standard contract, has played well at times, but he simply won’t cut it as someone they can depend on to play a significant number of minutes.
One player who could be a target for them is Nic Claxton, a relatively young and athletic center who plays for the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are going nowhere, and therefore, perhaps they could be persuaded to part with him if the price is right.
Advertisement
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints proposed a three-team trade also involving the Detroit Pistons that would send Claxton to Los Angeles. The only players L.A. would give up in this trade are forward Rui Hachimura and big man Maxi Kleber, and it would also give up a 2031 first-round draft pick and the right to swap picks in 2028.
Via ClutchPoints:
“Out of all the needs the Lakers have entering the offseason, finding a sustainable, long-term option at the center position is vital,” Siegel wrote. “Nic Claxton was on Los Angeles’ list of potential trade targets this season, and it is expected that they will once again inquire about the 26-year-old’s availability with the Brooklyn Nets.
“… Known for his rim-running abilities and success as a lob threat in pick-and-roll sets, Claxton would be the perfect center to pair with [Luka] Doncic moving forward. The Lakers need an athletic big who is a double-double threat and can protect the rim on defense. Claxton is the full package, and his offensive versatility could be unlocked by Doncic in a similar way to what he did with Dereck Lively II in Dallas.”
Kleber only played spot minutes in the Lakers’ final game of the playoffs after he was thrown into the trade for Doncic due to a foot injury. He’s going into the final year of a contract that will pay him $11 million next season.
Meanwhile, while Hachimura is a very skilled player on offense, he often seems nearly invisible for long stretches on the Lakers, and he, too, is going into the last season of his contract.
“Whether or not the Lakers could pull off a trade for Claxton is the big question since they don’t have many draft picks at their disposal,” Siegel continued. “Los Angeles will also enter the offseason with over $190 million on the books for the 2025-26 season. The easy piece to be moved is Maxi Kleber, who the Lakers got in the Doncic trade, and then [general manager Rob] Pelinka would need to make a decision on Rui Hachimura.
“Although he has played well since coming to the Lakers during the 2022-23 season, Hachimura’s expiring $18.2 million contract would be vital to pulling off a trade for Claxton.”
Advertisement
Claxton just turned 26 years of age, so he could be a long-term solution for the Lakers, especially since he’s under contract for three more seasons. He’s a lob threat and a strong finisher at the rim, but he’s also a legitimate shot-blocker and a good rebounder. Doncic has a history of thriving alongside big men who provide vertical spacing, such as Lively and Daniel Gafford.
Claxton’s numbers dipped this season, but he still had 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 26.9 minutes a game. Perhaps playing for a Lakers team that is close to being a legitimate championship contender would spark Claxton’s competitive fuel and cause his production to increase a bit.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Trade proposal gives Lakers an ideal center at a relatively low price