Lakers Trade Rumors: Front Office Admits Urgent Need for New Center

After the Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke at a recent press conference, the rumor mill started spinning. Fans and pundits have been debating trade opportunities all week.

Although Redick downplayed it at the press conference, in an interview with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson on Sirius XM NBA Radio , he's previously acknowledged the Lakers’ need for acquiring a center:

“You certainly have to look at what I think is actually a very good roster, a very balanced roster. We’d love to, we tried, but we’d love to, at some point, get another five-man, a big bruising five-man. You look at the Western Conference right now, whether it’s Denver, Minnesota, OKC with what they added, certainly Memphis, they’re going to be back in the hunt, they added Zach Edey, certain matchups in the playoffs, you’re going to need a lot of size.”

Behind closed doors, the front office is keenly aware of this need. Here's what Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report was able to uncover:

After the presser, the Lakers privately clarified that adding a bulky center is a major priority.

Several sports pundits have suggested that the Lakers leverage their first-round picks and go after a center between now and the end of the trade deadline on February 6, 2025.

While some commentators have suggested the Lakers trade for veteran Jeff Green, a versatile combo forward who can play small-ball center and has previously played with LeBron, what the Lakers really need is a strong rebounder who can intimidate players in the paint. Let's hope they make a smart decision before we get too deep into the season.

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