The Los Angeles Lakers enter the 2025 offseason and need a durable big man. The Lakers tried to acquire Charlotte Hornet Center Mark Williams within the trade deadline to provide Luka Doncic with LOB threats and marginal protectors to fill the loopholes caused by the deal Anthony Davis, but the trade was revoked after the physical failure.
Lakers follow Miles Turner, Steven Adams and Brooke Lopez
The Lakers are now reportedly looking at three players: Myers Turner, Steven Adams and Brooke Lopez. They have no cap space to sign Turner, who signed a two-year, $40.9 million contract with the Indiana Pacers in January 2023.
However, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Los Angeles still has a 2031 first-round pick, a five-year selection swap, former first-round pick Dalton Knecht and a term expiration of more than $70 million (Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, Rui Hachimura, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Maxi Kleber, Maxi Kleber, gabe vincent and Gabe vincent) for use.
Los Angeles, especially the first four first-round draft picks in 2027, Dallas won an unprotected first-round draft pick in 2029. The Lakers are allowed to trade in the first round draft pick in 2031 or 2032. They also have the right to exchange their first-round picks in five seasons (2026, 2026, 2028, 2028, 2031, 2031 and 2032) and have a choice.
Turner, 29, averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 30.2 minutes in 72 regular season games against Indiana this season (all starts). He also shot 48.1% from the field and 39.6% from three-pointers.
According to basketball reference, Turner ranked third in the NBA’s blocks (144) this season, behind San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (176) and Milwaukee’s Lopez (148).
Steven Adams
Although Adams is a solid free agent candidate for the Lakers, the 6-foot-11 big man has played in just 58 regular season games (three games), which is the Houston Rockets.
Adams missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a knee injury.
In Houston in 2024-25, he averaged only 3.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 blocks and 13.7 minutes, while shooting 54.5% from the field and 46.2% from the free throw line. His real shooting percentage (54.1%) is also lower than his rookie season.
But he played a bigger role in Houston at the end of the year.
In the 2025 playoffs, Adams’ game time increased to 22.1 minutes per game, and he even scored a season-high 17 points in Game 6 of Houston’s first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.
Adams averaged 5.7 points and 1.1 blocks in those seven games.
Rockets hope Adams re-signs
The Rockets reportedly want Adams to come back. Team sources told Kelly Iko of Track and Field that Adams was seen as a “clear priority” among the offseason’s unlimited free agents.
According to IKO, the Rockets are “operating under the assumption that Adams hopes to return – and will continue to speak with his representatives about possible extensions.”
Meanwhile, Lopez, 37, is in the final season of a two-year, $48 million contract. The 2013 All-Stars made $25 million last season and earned $23 million in 2024-25.
In the 80 regular season games of this game (all starts), he averaged 13 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 blocks and 31.8 minutes of games while shooting 50.9% from the field and scored 37.3% from the free throw line at 37.3%.
If Stevens leaves at free agent, the Rockets may reach for Lopez.
