It is no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are actively seeking to bolster their frontcourt depth behind Anthony Davis. In the recent few weeks, rumors have swirled around Jonas Valanciunas, who has emerged as a primary target. Despite having two years remaining on his contract, Valanciunas is a highly sought-after player. More recently another option has surfaced in the rumor mill.
The Chicago Bulls are rumored to be open to all offers on 34-year-old center Nikola Vucevic and the Lakers are a team that has been interested in making an offer for him.
Lakers Targeting Valancuiunas and Vucevic
Valanciunas has averaged 20 minutes off the bench and in that time he averages 12 points, 2.2 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. He also adds 5.3 defensive rebounds per game while on the court. The defensive rebounding fills a large gulf that exists between Davis (9) and James (7.1) and the next best rebounder, Rui Hachimura (3.3).
While Valanciunas would be a solid option for the Lakers, Vucevic is enjoying a career-best season, averaging 21 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 58.7% from the field and 47.4% from three-point range.
While both can help on offense, they don’t move the needle on defense, with both posting defensive ratings toward the bottom of their respective position. While a scoring bench center is sorely needed, the Lakers’ defense is rated 26th among the 30 teams.
League sources suggest the Lakers are prepared to explore trade options involving D’Angelo Russell and multiple second-round picks to acquire a bench center. While the specifics of any potential deal remain uncertain, it’s clear that the Lakers are actively pursuing avenues to improve this position and contend for a championship.