Lakers Must Target Clint Capela in Free Agency to Improve Frontcourt amid NBA Rumors
Clint Capela won't be the flashiest name tied to the Los Angeles Lakers' search for a new center during the 2025 NBA offseason.
That doesn't, however, mean there are better options on the board.
At least, not ones who will offer the same blend of impact and cost for this club.
Capela, whom NBA insider Jake Fischer reported "is finally expected to depart Atlanta via free agency," could be the right kind of bouncy big man to protect the paint on one end and consistently convert his at-rim (and above-rim) opportunities on the other.
An unrestricted free agent, Capela also shouldn't cost the proverbial arm and a leg to acquire. He might have other suitors, sure, but he may not be a priority target for any of them. His minutes have trended down four years in a row, he just averaged the third-fewest minutes of his career (21.4) and the 55 appearances he made in 2024-25 were his lowest since the 2019-20 campaign.
He was, however, still productive when he played. His per-36-minutes averages included 14.9 points, 14.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, per Basketball-Reference. His 55.9 field-goal percentage, which was the second-worst of his career, would have ranked 12th overall among qualified shooters.
The Atlanta Hawks had reasons to nevertheless trim his floor time—namely, the unleashing of the 2020 draft's No. 6 pick, Onyeka Okongwu. So, Capela's workload reduction had less to do with anything he wasn't doing than it did Atlanta's desire to see what Okongwu could do with an expanded role.
The volume reduction could still help keep Capela's price tag low, but the right buyer might sniff out some bargain potential. That simply won't happen with the more prominent names connected to this club.
If the Memphis Grizzlies would let go of Jaren Jackson Jr.—which doesn't sound like it's happening, by the way—they'd set a price so high that only teams with asset collections much richer than the Lakers' could afford it. Speaking of high prices, does anyone expect the Utah Jazz to demand anything reasonable for Walker Kessler?
Even Nic Claxton could be super costly to pry away from the Brooklyn Nets. He's probably the closest thing they have to a building block, and they're plenty flexible even with him on the roster.
As for free agency, the market isn't exactly overflowing with impact bigs, particularly with the assumption that both Myles Turner and Naz Reid stay put. Brook Lopez might be jostling with Capela for next-best, and while Lopez's shot could be a fun feature in this offense, he doesn't have Capela's bounce or above-the-rim finishing.
Plus, unless Lopez cuts someone a deal to go ring-chasing, he might command more money than Capela. Lopez has accolades (an All-Star selection, two All-Defensive team honors) and accomplishments (a championship run with Milwaukee in 2021) that are absent from Capela's resume.
If the Lakers emptied their asset collection to add one of those trade targets, that might be the only meaningful move they make all summer. That means their itches for better wing defenders and more reliable reserves would go unscratched.
There's a similar (although less restrictive) give-and-take with a potential Lopez pursuit. The more he gets paid, the less the Lakers have at their disposal to cover their other needs.
L.A. shouldn't need to make those same concessions with Capela, who just might perk up a bit being able to play off of the likes of Luka Dončić and LeBron James. So, while Capela won't be the first name that comes to mind when Lakers fans dream of their next center, the front office might still view him as the best option on the board when accounting for both ability and affordability.
