Lakers Reportedly Interested in Acquiring Former Lottery Pick Center

Matt Levine | Jul 12, 2024

As the Los Angeles Lakers continue their offseason, the biggest priority is to address concerns along the roster. The Lakers still need help in the frontcourt, specifically at the center position. 

So far nothing has come to fruition with the team but it seems that Los Angeles may be looking to address the center position after all. According to Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, the Lakers have shown interest in acquiring center Wendell Carter Jr. from the Orlando Magic.

And one executive said he’s still the kind of player the Lakers should be looking for. “Fairly young, probably a little undervalued because of his red flags (injuries) and still tapping into his skillset,” the exec told Heavy Sports. “The contract is right, it makes sense for them. That’s a guy they’re monitoring, but a lot of teams are.”

Adding Carter Jr. to the Lakers would be a massive boost to the overall frontcourt. Not only would he give the team another big body to work with alongside Anthony Davis but he can space the floor well.

Carter Jr. averaged 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 37.4 percent from beyond the three-point line. His contract is very team-friendly as well, he is scheduled to earn $11.9 million this coming season and $10.8 million next year.

The Magic could take guard D'Angelo Russell in a deal, helping to boost their backcourt. It could be a win-win type the deal between the two teams but it remains to be seen if the Lakers can pull it off.

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