The Los Angeles Lakers will never stop looking for elite players to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with in order to contend for championships as long as he is their franchise.
Current trade rumors virtually validate any whispers about a possible trade involving the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks, namely regarding the latter’s outstanding pick-and-roll center Clint Capela.
According to sources close to Blake Meek of TWSN and the newspaper, Los Angeles is planning to deal Capela to the rebuilding Hawks. He said this in part to support the Lakers’ need to add a player of his caliber.
“The Lakers need Capela on their team, and they have him. They require a large center that can compete with the other centers in the west and play down low. The Lakers would greatly benefit from his abilities to defend and rebound in the paint. Additionally, Anthony Davis can now play more physically and down low against those bigger players, which should keep him healthier, according to Meek.
The Lakers’ offense would benefit greatly from the arrival of the former 2021 NBA rebounding leader in the upcoming campaign. Based on the visual evaluation, Capela appears to be among the most talented screenwriters of this generation. His skill at laying up efficient screens, occupying the middle of the floor while rolling hard to the rim, and finishing with authority at the rim would be extremely beneficial to Los Angeles, especially when combined with eager passers like James and D’Angelo Russell running the show.
In addition, Capela would help Davis create a no-man’s-land defense around the rim, give the Lakers an advantage on the glass, and provide Los Angeles with a frontcourt of three players, ranging in size from 6-9 to 6-10, who can dominate any team in the league and get easy baskets.
The 30-year-old played 25.8 minutes a night for Atlanta last time out, averaging 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. Not too far in the past, he recorded 15.2 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 30.1 minutes per game during the 2020–21 campaign, which saw him place sixth in the Defensive Player of the Year vote.
In the disputed transaction, the Lakers give up Jalen Hood-Schifino, Cam Reddish, and Rui Hachimura to the Hawks in exchange for the Swiss center. Rob Pelinka, general manager of the Lakers, must determine whether the team would be better off with more interior strength than a combination player like Hachimura, who can make his own shot out of the triple threat and give floor spacing. This is especially true if a trade of this size has reached his desk.
The Lakers may use a boost in that area based on the record, as they were an ok rebounding club last time around, ending with the 13th most boards per game (43.1 RPG). But they also ended with the fourth-fewest threes in a game (11.8 3 PM), so a difficult choice will have to be made.