There are a couple of obvious needs for the Los Angeles Lakers to address during the upcoming NBA offseason. Rob Pelinka will need to get aggressive to build a championship contender around Luka Doncic and LeBron James, but there are two main priorities this offseason.
One of those priorities will be to add a legitimate starting center. It was clear in the playoffs that the Lakers were lacking a talented big man in the middle.
Another major need will be to add more perimeter defense. With the right moves, Los Angeles should be able to improve both of those areas of need.
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Looking at the center need, in particular, there are quite a few potential targets for the Lakers to consider. They have already been connected to quite a few names.
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A new name has been linked to Los Angeles.
While the Lakers have already been mentioned as a possible trade suitor for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, there is another player to keep a close eye on. John Collins is another player Los Angeles has already shown interest in acquiring.
According to Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune, as shared by Evan Sidery of Forbes, the Lakers and Jazz have had trade discussions regarding Collins.
Sidery believes that Collins could fit perfectly and thrive alongside of Doncic and James.
“Collins, an athletic rim-running big who shot 39.9% on threes, could thrive alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James,” he wrote on X.
Collins would be a very interesting addition for Los Angeles. He stands in at 6-foot-9 and 226 pounds and has been a proven rebounder throughout his NBA career. While he isn’t a good rim protector, he would be an upgrade over what the Lakers had at center last season.
Read more: Lakers Eyeing Perfect Match at Center Position: Report
During the 2024-25 campaign with Utah, Collins played in 40 regular season games and started in 31 of them. He averaged 19 points per game to go along with 8.2 rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block, while shooting 52.7 percent from the floor and 39.9 percent from beyond the three-point arc.
At just 27 years old, it’s possible that Collins could become a long-term piece for Los Angeles. He’s well worth taking a look at.
It’s unclear how far these discussions have gone between the Lakers and Jazz. However, Collins will be a name to watch as the offseason gets underway.
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