The Los Angeles Lakers badly need help at the center position, and everyone knows it. They will likely turn to the free agent market for at least part of the solution, and there should be a couple of intriguing options there.

One center who will be a free agent is Brook Lopez, who has spent the last seven seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s 37 years of age, but he did average 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks a game while hitting 37.3% from 3-point range this season, and while his game may have slipped a bit on the defensive end, he could be a serviceable stopgap solution for the Lakers.

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According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, a bunch of teams are “bracing” for the Purple and Gold to go after Lopez.

“Perhaps the most established center headed for the open market is the ring-winning Brook Lopez,” Fischer wrote. “Two summers ago, you’ll recall, both San Antonio and Houston pursued Lopez aggressively before the Bucks successfully convinced him to re-sign.

“This time around, however, numerous rival teams are bracing for the center-craving Los Angeles Lakers to make a run at luring Lopez away from the Bucks.

“Even if the Lakers plan to address their center void by pursuing Atlanta’s Clint Capela instead or perhaps a target not as frequently discussed, there is a growing belief Lopez will indeed be on the move next week after a highly successful seven-season stint alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.”

The Bucks’ immediate future is murky, as Antetokounmpo ponders whether staying put or forcing a trade would be his best move. Lopez was part of the Antetokounmpo-led core that won an NBA championship for the Bucks in 2021.

The 7-footer played for the Lakers during the 2017-18 campaign and made $23 million this season. Needless to say, he would have to take a major pay cut to become a member of a Lakers team that is expected to only have the taxpayer mid-level exception of $5.7 million this summer.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Fischer: Numerous NBA teams expect Lakers to go after Brook Lopez