Lakers Linked to 3 Veteran Centers After Deandre Ayton Trade: Who Fits Best?

Following the Deandre Ayton trade to the Washington Wizards, the Los Angeles Lakers still have some work to do, with the team being dangerously thin in the frontcourt behind Walker Kessler and Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Along with trying to figure out a way to bring back Rui Hachimura or sign Jonathan Kuminga in NBA free agency, the team must address the center position once again.

Lakers' 3 Veteran Candidates to Add at Center

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Lakers are currently considering Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney for the backup center role in Los Angeles.

L.A., which agreed to a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz for center Walker Kessler earlier this week, will search for a backup big man on the market. Andre Drummond, Jonas Valanciunas and Kevon Looney are among those being considered, sources told Charania.

Although options on the open market are getting fewer and fewer each day, the three veterans the Lakers are considering could be the right fit.

Who is the Best Fit for the Lakers? (Ranked)

No. 3: Kevon Looney

Looney made a name for himself after winning three NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors, playing a decade alongside Stephen Curry and company before leaving the storied franchise for the New Orleans Pelicans last season.

Unlike Drummond and Valanciunas, Looney was never one of the top big men in the league and has always been a role player, now considered a career backup in the paint.

Although he’s the youngest of the three centers linked to the Lakers at 30 years old, and Los Angeles is trending in the direction of younger players around Luka Doncic, I would put him third on this list of options for a backup center in Los Angeles.

Over 11 seasons, Looney has averaged 4.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, shooting 57 percent from the field.

No. 2: Jonas Valanciunas

Valanciunas has been linked to the Lakers in the past and is at the point in his career where he might have to accept a veteran minimum contract to continue playing in the NBA. He’s bounced around the league quite a bit over the last few years, following a long stint with the Toronto Raptors and three-year stops with the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans.

The 34-year-old journeyman spent the 2025-26 campaign with the Denver Nuggets as Nikola Jokic’s backup, averaging 8.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, shooting 58.2 percent from the floor and 30.8 percent from deep.

Although he’s not the player that he once was, as he used to be a double-double machine during his prime, averaging double digits in points and rebounds in four straight seasons from 2019-20 to 2022-23, Valanciunas could be a decent backup behind Kessler.

No. 1: Andre Drummond

Drummond is no stranger to wearing purple and gold, playing 21 games for the Lakers during the 2020-21 NBA season after securing a buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Much like Valanciunas, Drummond was a guaranteed double-double during his prime. He was considered one of the best centers in the league with the Detroit Pistons, an absolute monster on the glass, leading the league in that category four times in 14 seasons while earning All-Star honors twice.

Drummond is without a doubt the most successful of the three candidates and perhaps the best option on the open market. He can also make an impact defensively as a rim protector and has always been sneaky good with his quick hands, as a center who can disturb passing lanes.

He spent the last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he averaged 6.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, shooting 48.3 percent from the field. Drummond is a liability at the free-throw line with a career shooting percentage of 48.9 percent, but despite that disadvantage, the UConn product is arguably the best option among the three linked to the Lakers.

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