Lakers 'Still' Have Interest in $15M Center Ahead of Trade Deadline: Report

Will Los Angeles make another move this year?

Jan 2, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) controls the ball against Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards (4) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

For a while, the 20-16 Los Angeles Lakers had looked pretty good following their trade to acquire small forward Dorian Finney-Smith and shooting guard Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets, for the low price of point guard D'Angelo Russell's expiring contract, little-used power forward Maxwell Lewis, and three future second round draft picks.

Most recently, however, the Lakers dropped their last two contests, before being forced to cancel a Thursday home clash against the Charlotte Hornets and Saturday home matchup with the San Antonio Spurs due to the continuing L.A. area wildfires.

Still, Los Angeles is the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, a competent enough standing for now. After addressing their wing defense with Finney-Smith, the Lakers clearly could use some frontcourt help, amidst injury and performance issues.

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Per Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Lakers were apparently interested in potentially trading to acquire Hornets reserve center Nick Richards as far back as the 2024 offseason, and continue to eye him as the February 6 trade deadline approaches.

A 7-footer out of Kentucky, Richards is pretty affordable for L.A. He's in the second season of a three-year, $15 million contract extension deal he inked with Charlotte ahead of the 2023 offseason.

On paper, Richards would represent a massive upgrade over the Lakers' current lackluster slate of backup centers behind five-time All-NBA superstar big man Anthony Davis, another John Calipari-era Kentucky alum. Jaxson Hayes and two-way signing Christian Koloko have looked incredibly raw behind Davis, although they've been at least respectable defensively. Christian Wood has been sidelined all year.

Richards is a tough, versatile defender, and could really help Los Angeles along the fringes of the team's rotation.

Here's evidence of the Mazzulla coaching tree: Charles Lee had Nick Richards guarding TJM, just like Kornet, Porzingis, etc.

On the one hand, the hide-a-big strategy was no match for TJ-ball.

On the other hand, the hide-a-big strategy meant that the offense was mainly TJ-ball. pic.twitter.com/m4IqtGgZId

— Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) December 9, 2024

The man is agile enough to defend smaller players at the point of attack.

Nick Richards has... impressed pic.twitter.com/ZHO0NExQny

— Stephen 🏁 | bsky: StephenPG3 (@StephenPG3) January 8, 2025

This season, the 27-year-old Richards is averaging 9.2 points on 56.4 percent shooting from the floor and 67.8 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks per bout.

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Charlotte is 8-27 on the year, and looking like one of the worst teams in the NBA. If the Hornets can extract some draft value for Richards — who is clearly being de-prioritized behind oft-hurt starter Mark Williams — it may behoove them to do so.

The team needs to look towards the future.

More Lakers:

Lakers vs Spurs Game Postponed by NBA Amid Los Angeles Wildfires

Los Angeles Key Trade Target Suffers Injury Just Weeks Before Trade Deadline

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