Overview

• After trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic and exiting in the first playoff round, the Lakers plan to upgrade their starting center spot this offseason.
• League insiders widely anticipate Brook Lopez will depart the Bucks, positioning him as a top free-agent target for Los Angeles.
• At 7-foot-1, Lopez brings proven rim protection and three-point shooting, traits the Lakers lacked in their interior rotation.
• Insiders report the Lakers have already connected with Lopez ahead of free agency.
• Los Angeles is also exploring a Daniel Gafford trade, but Dallas’s reluctance to part with him complicates that pursuit.