Lakers' Top Backup Center Options on Trade Market amid Latest NBA Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers have a problem.

It may not be a huge one or even an obvious one, but it's a problem nonetheless.

And with this team hoping to parlay Luka Dončić's incredible start to the 2026-27 season into a possible championship run, this club can't afford to leave any problems uncorrected.

"I think it's clear they need a better functional backup center," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said (via HoopsHype). "It is not Kevon Looney. He has been pulled from the rotation. Does not seem like he's going to play at all moving forward barring an injury."

If the Lakers share that assessement on Looney—and his removal from the rotation suggests they probably do—they need to start searching for an alternative. Here are three of the best options among logical, affordable trade candidates.

Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic

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This feels at or maybe above the high end of the Lakers' trade price range given their asset shortage after the Walker Kessler addition. That said, the Magic have never leaned on Goga Bitadze less, so maybe he just isn't a fit with what new head coach Sean Sweeney wants to do.

Bitadze has only seen double-digit minutes in half of his six outings so far. He's also been left on the bench entirely twice. And this doesn't seem to be entirely his doing, since a lot of his per-minute production is in line with or better than his career marks.

He makes a lot of traditional-big-man-things happen whenever he hits the hardwood. For his career, his per-36-minutes averages include 13.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 blocks. He's also a career 56 percent shooter from the field, and he finished better than 60 percent of his field goals each of the last three seasons.

Whatever the Lakers thought Looney could provide, Bitadze actually brings it.

Karlo Matković, New Orleans Pelicans

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While the Lakers could look for a second-unit version of Walker Kessler, they couldo also seek out a center who adds something different to their equation.

Someone like Karlo Matković, a 6'10" combo big with a career 39.8 percent splash rate from three.

He could open up pick-and-pop possibilities for the Lakers guards or just keep the floor better spaced for their attacks. He also has enough bounce to work in some rim-running responsibilities, too, as he has averaged 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes for his career, per Basketball-Reference.com.

While the Pelicans seem resistant to trade just about anyone—Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones have been rumor-mill regulars for years—a backup big man who isn't guaranteed a spot in the nightly rotation feels like an obvious exception.

Jericho Sims, Milwaukee Bucks

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If this name sounds familiar, that's because the Lakers tried to acquire Jericho Sims before the season, but they stopped short of meeting the Milwaukee Bucks' asking price of two future second-round picks, per NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Why would things be different now? Because it's hard to set a firm asking price on someone you aren't even playing.

Sims has sat out half of Milwaukee's games so far, and he has only been given seven-plus minutes of run once. He clearly isn't part of the Bucks' plans, but he could part of the Lakers', since he has the right blend of length, bounce and finishing to thrive as an above-the-rim energizer.

Sims has never quite provided enough paint protection to be a true rim-runner, but he is automatic as a lob-finisher (career 74.2 field-goal percentage). Dončić makes more out of that archetype than anyone, so the Lakers could give Sims a second round of consideration.