Entering the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have their sights set on addressing a glaring need at the center position.
After a playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves exposed their lack of interior size, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka should be exploring free agency options to strengthen the frontcourt alongside Luka Dončić and LeBron James.
One name generating buzz is a veteran big man whose skill set could complement the Lakers’ star-heavy roster, offering a mix of defensive reliability and pick-and-roll prowess at a potentially bargain price.
Sam Quinn of CBS Sports recently highlighted this player as a realistic target for LA, noting the pros and cons of acquiring him.
“Pros: The quintessential rim-protector and rim-runner,” Quinn wrote.
“Until last season, he hovered around the top 10 in the NBA in dunks every year. He’s been a consistently good defender, but just as importantly, he’s been a fairly versatile one, capable of protecting the basket but also hanging on the perimeter when switches have forced him to. One of the few players ever to lead the NBA in offensive rebounding rate and defensive rebounding rate in a single season. He’s been an obvious Dončić fit for years. Dallas tried to trade for him in 2023. He’s probably gettable for the taxpayer mid-level exception.”
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“Cons: He’s 31 and slipping on just about every front,” Quinn continued.
“He played backup minutes last season, but his per-possession stats have all slipped from his peak. He’s a good rim-protector now, not a great one. He’s lost a bit of the athleticism that meant so much as a lob finisher. He’s no longer an elite rebounder on either end. Only a 54.4% career free-throw shooter. He probably has to be a backup at this stage of his career, which is why he’s gettable at the tax mid-level at all.”
This player is Clint Capela, the 31-year-old Atlanta Hawks center set to hit unrestricted free agency in July.
Capela’s resume includes a standout 2021-22 season where he led the NBA in rebounding, averaging 14.3 rebounds per game, and his 61.7 percent career field goal percentage ranks highly in NBA history.
Despite his decline from peak form—evidenced by 2024-25 averages of 8.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game—Capela remains a reliable defender.
His 1.5 blocks per game in 2023-24 ranked 12th in the league, and his experience in high-stakes playoff runs with the Hawks and Houston Rockets adds value.
The Lakers’ cap constraints make Capela’s projected price tag appealing, though he may command slightly more elsewhere.
While not the elite force he once was, Capela’s fit with Dončić and defensive reliability make him a practical target. As Pelinka navigates a competitive free agency landscape, Capela could be the low-cost addition the Lakers settle on.
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