Lakers Must Find New Center Trade Target Amid Nic Claxton, Walker Kessler NBA Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers need a center.

It has been well documented and abundantly clear to everyone for at least the last year. The lack of a quality, consistent big man is a large reason the team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, four games to one.

One center linked to the team multiple times last season was Utah's Walker Kessler.

The 23-year-old Atlanta native played in 58 games, scoring just over 11 points per game, grabbing 12.2 total rebounds, and shooting 66.3 percent from the floor. He is a building block of the Jazz's future and someone the team is not willing to part with.

Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that Utah has "made him unavailable for some time."

Another option is Brooklyn's Nic Claxton.

Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that he is no shoo-in for the Lakers, but part of that can be attributed to a subpar last season. Nearly everything about the Nets was subpar, though, and one year should not be enough to rule him out for a team with few other options.

He still played nearly 27 minutes, scored 10.3 points per game, shot 56.3 from the floor, and tallied 7.4 rebounds.

Claxton is a quality defender and has the makings of a perfect fit for the Lakers' system. The team could benefit exponentially by developing a pick-and-roll pairing with Luka Dončić, and at just 26 years old, he could be the building block for Los Angeles that he never really had the chance to be for the Nets.

No longer fitting what the Nets want to do, he should be more affordable for the Lakers than Kessler would have been, and considering the upside that still exists, that is a win for both sides.

If the Lakers remain hesitant based on the price tag and his down year, there are few other options for them. They cannot afford Myles Turner, the top center in free agency, and other options are too old or incompatible with Redick's system.

Claxton is the guy and has the potential to help take the Lakers where they want to go. Whether the front office can see beyond one so-so season and put together a trade package with the team's limited assets will ultimately determine the direction the team heads at its most key position.