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The Los Angeles Lakers missed out on adding Jonas Valančiūnas in free agency, but some NBA insiders believe the team could take another swing at the big man by the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, “many around the league believe Los Angeles is the favorite” to acquire Valančiūnas from the Washington Wizards.
The Lakers have been tied since the summer to Valančiūnas, who was acquired by the Wizards in a sign-and-trade with the New Orleans Pelicans in June.
Prior to the sign-and-trade, James’ agent Rich Paul told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that LeBron James would be willing to re-sign with the Lakers at a deal slightly below the maximum in part so that the team could add an “impact player.”
According to McMenamin, one of those players would be “an established big man to play alongside Anthony Davis” like Valančiūnas.
James isn’t the only person in the Lakers organization who has expressed a desire for the team to add a center.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said in June that he would “love to, at some point, get another five man, a big bruising five man.” McMenamin then reported in September that Anthony Davis “has made clear to the Lakers… his preference to play alongside another big more often.”
That need has become even more pressing for the Lakers as the roster’s frontcourt depth has been tested amid injuries to Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Valančiūnas has averaged 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds in 25 games, mostly off the bench, for the Wizards this season.
Anthony Irwin previously reported for ClutchPoints that the Lakers are expected to offer Gabe Vincent and second-round picks, potentially alongside a veteran-minimum player like Wood, Hayes or Cam Reddish, to the Wizards in exchange for Valančiūnas.
Should the Wizards bite on the deal, the Lakers could take some pressure off Anthony Davis while moving on from Vincent after a down season so far. The Wizards could meanwhile benefit from collecting draft capital in order to continue their ongoing rebuild following a 4-21 start to the season.
