The Los Angeles Lakers have their starting center. DeAndre Ayton is a risk worth taking for the Lakers. They got him on a cheap contract, and he will be inspired to rehabilitate his image and value on a winning team. However, recent Lakers free agency rumors indicate that the team isn’t satisfied with their frontcourt rotation and wants to land another big man for their roster.
One player who has been linked as a Lakers free agency target is Al Horford. Horford, while nearly 40 years old, is still playing great basketball and would be an asset for a team like the Lakers.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, it looks like they are going to get outbid for Horford’s services next season.
According to The Stein Line, “All signs, for the record, continue to point to Al Horford landing with Golden State … eventually. Sunday will be the first day of the 2025-26 salary cap year that NBA teams can make most free agent signings and trades official.”
Losing out on Horford hurts. The Lakers would have loved to pair a veteran with championship experience with their roster as a stretch five. He is the perfect backup to Ayton.
Now it looks like their rivals up the coast will be signing Al Horford within the next few days. The Lakers’ other free agency targets will now move up the list as one of the Lakers’ dream signings is soon to be officially off the table.
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Maybe the Lakers dodged a bullet by not bringing another super-old former star to their team. Or maybe he was the perfect piece to the championship puzzle they are trying to build.
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