Lakers Offseason Drama: The Search for a Backup Center

The Lakers’ offseason, already strange enough to fill a documentary, took another twist this week when a familiar name to Los Angeles fans resurfaced — this time in Minnesota.

A player the franchise had chased, missed on, and argued about across countless talk shows is now a member of the Timberwolves on a two-year deal. For Lakers Nation, it’s one more reminder of a summer that has been chaotic even by Hollywood standards, coming on the heels of a second ownership change in just 14 months.

The fallout is simple: the Lakers still have holes to plug, and the market is thinning out fast.

Kessler in Place, But a Glaring Question Behind Him

Los Angeles did solve its biggest structural issue. They finally landed Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz, a move that ended a long-running pursuit and delivered the type of rim-running, shot-blocking big man Luka Doncic has historically feasted alongside.

“The Lakers filled their biggest need by landing Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Jazz to pair the 7-foot-2, 245-pound big man alongside (Luka) Doncic and (Austin) Reaves — ending a multiyear saga of attempting to bring Kessler to Los Angeles and finally giving Doncic the type of big man he typically thrives alongside,” Lakers reporter Khobi Price wrote for the California Post.

On paper, that frontcourt alignment fits. In reality, there’s risk. Kessler appeared in just five games last season. For a team built around a generational playmaker in Doncic and expecting to contend deep into the 2026-27 campaign, living on the edge of a single, injury-affected center is not a plan. It’s a gamble.

So the question hangs over the roster: if Kessler misses time, who anchors the paint?

The free-agent board doesn’t offer much comfort. The remaining big men are depth pieces, not players you want logging 30 minutes in a playoff series. The Lakers don’t need a star behind Kessler, but they do need someone who can survive — and occasionally swing — big games if injuries strike.

That’s where an old connection in Dallas comes back into focus.

The Gafford Door Cracks Open

Daniel Gafford’s name has floated around the Lakers almost from the moment Doncic was shipped to Los Angeles 19 months ago. The two meshed in Dallas. They reached the NBA Finals together in the 2023-24 season, with Gafford stepping into the role of starting center and thriving in the slipstream of Doncic’s playmaking.

Now, there’s a hint he might be available.

As the Mavericks explored trade options for Klay Thompson — who ultimately chose the Miami Heat in free agency — they also shopped Gafford, according to NBA insider Brett Siegel.

“(The Mavs) believed that they could get something (in a trade for Thompson),” Siegel reported this week. “… There was nothing there. They were talking with teams about Daniel Gafford, about potentially trading him. Again, nothing really ever happened there.”

Nothing materialized. But Dallas’ willingness to discuss Gafford is the key detail for the Lakers.

A former first-round pick in 2019, Gafford fits the profile of exactly what Los Angeles lacks: a legitimate, starting-caliber big who can slide into a reserve role and instantly elevate the bench. In that 2023-24 run to the Finals, he averaged 11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game as the Mavericks’ starting center. He protected the rim, finished lobs and, crucially, already knows how to play off Doncic.

For the Lakers, that’s not theory. It’s evidence.

The Price of Protection

The problem is not fit. It’s cost.

The Kessler deal drained much of Los Angeles’ flexibility. As Khobi Price pointed out, the Lakers have already paid heavily in assets and are now operating with a bare-bones war chest.

“Without (Jonthan) Kuminga, the answer to who’ll be their fifth starter is likely already on the team. Every other starting-caliber or pseudo starting-caliber wing/forward free agent for a team looking to contend in the playoffs has already been signed. Those types of players aren’t easy to trade for, and the Lakers lack the draft capital to credibly make a deal,” Price wrote.

That same reality applies to any Gafford pursuit.

The 27-year-old is due roughly $17 million next season. To match salary, the Lakers would likely have to move someone like Jarred Vanderbilt, who is owed around $12 million. That’s not a small decision. Vanderbilt brings defensive versatility on the perimeter and remains one of the few true, switchable forwards on the roster.

Dallas, for its part, has reportedly looked for a first-round pick in any Gafford deal. The Lakers don’t have that to offer. Not in a straightforward, clean way.

So the stalemate sits there. The Mavericks hold a useful center with playoff pedigree and a working partnership with Doncic. The Lakers hold interest, some matching salary, and not much else.

What could change the equation? Time.

If the phone doesn’t ring in Dallas, the asking price may soften. A team that once believed it could flip Gafford for a first-rounder might eventually accept something less to rebalance its roster or trim future commitments. For the Lakers, that’s the opening they have to hope for.

Because as training camp creeps closer, one question grows louder around El Segundo: can a team with championship ambitions really roll into the season one Kessler injury away from a crisis at center?