With DeAndre Ayton joining the Los Angeles Lakers via a two-year deal and Jaxson Hayes returning to the franchise via a one-year contract, opposing teams will no longer have the ability to expose JJ Redick’s frontcourt.
However, the Lakers may further bolster their low-post production by signing the Golden State Warriors’ ideal replacement for Kevon Looney (he joined the New Orleans Pelicans to begin free agency).
“Other names the Lakers expressed interest in were Phoenix Suns’ Nick Richards, Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, and New Orleans Pelicans’ Yves Missi,” ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel wrote Thursday.
“With their addition of Ayton, it’s hard to envision any real path for Los Angeles to sacrifice a lot of assets only to have Missi on the bench behind Ayton.”
“Orlando Magic big men Wendell Carter Jr. and Goga Bitadze were also brought up in conversations with league circles about the Lakers’ center pursuit. (Al) Horford, as previously mentioned, is another name associated with Los Angeles, but the overall assumption around the league is that he will end up with Golden State.”
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Horford, like the Lakers’ star forward LeBron James, is an age-defying, high-impact NBA contributor.
The Florida product’s athleticism in his late 30s is nothing to write home about, but his ability to stretch the floor on the offensive end while using his satisfactory lateral quickness to defend different positions has enabled him to earn significant minutes under Joe Mazzulla.
Horford, who won his first NBA championship with the Celtics in 2024, averaged 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season, shooting 42.3% from the field and 36.3% from three-point land.
The former first-round pick’s valuable postseason experience, durability, and commitment to playing his role to perfection would help Los Angeles enter the 2025-26 campaign with a dream frontcourt.
However, like Siegel noted, the Warriors will likely win the Horford sweepstakes this summer.
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