Anthony Davis’ plea for the Los Angeles Lakers to sign a center might be falling on deaf ears. After his interview with Shams Charania made the rounds on social media, fans were convinced that his words would spur Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office into action. With big names like Nikola Vucevic and Jakob Poeltl available, it wasn’t far-fetched to assume they would be front runners in the market. However, Marc Stein’s latest press release makes it clear that the Lakers aren’t interested in rushing into anything.
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According to Stein, the Lakers aren’t looking to make any deals for the aforementioned bigs before the trade deadline. He revealed his league sources told him the Lakers aren’t in the race for Walker Kessler either, as the Utah Jazz have branded the young center “as close to unavailable as it gets.”
The Los Angeles Lakers are not expected to show interest in centers such as Nikola Vucevic and Jakob Poeltl on the trade market, per @TheSteinLine
“League sources stressed over the weekend that the Lakers are not expected to join the hunt for either Vučević or Toronto's Jakob… pic.twitter.com/EyZjgZuJ0L
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 27, 2025
Davis’ plea for a center was well placed, as he plays his best basketball at the 4 position. Additionally, the last time the Lakers tasted success (the championship in 2020), they boasted a dual threat of bigs, consisting of Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee.
While the Lakers are out of the running for big-name centers, they may not be completely inactive in the trade market. There are clear signs that their two superstars want to improve something, but Rob Pelinka is being uncharacteristically patient this time.
Pelinka’s trade playbook needs evolving
The Lakers have made a lot of poorly thought-out deals in the past, with the Russell Westbrook trade still a sore subject among fans. Rob Pelinka and the front office seemed to have learned from their mistakes, and aren’t going to make any deals under pressure.
But in his patience, Pelinka has also lost out on numerous important names and trades. From Kyrie Irving to Klay Thompson, the names are stacking up by the day. Vucevic and Kessler are the latest, but there is reason to believe there would be more.
With the West so strong this season, the Lakers, despite the numerous bumps, are doing surprisingly well. They are only 1 game behind the Denver Nuggets and still have two of their rescheduled games to play. The only way Pelinka will make a trade with the Lakers’ already limited assets is if it guarantees them a championship.
Which is exactly what Davis seeks. He needs a traditional big man who can crowd the paint to elevate the incessant pressure. The Lakers also need a defensive guard to help resolve their paint worries. Hopefully, this tradeline would be less disappointing than it has been for the last few seasons.
