One Emerging Trade Candidate Checks Every Box for the Lakers

If recent league chatter proves accurate, the Los Angeles Lakers may have a rare opportunity to add a young center who fits both its present and future.

Sep 25, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka at press conference at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are on the clock in terms of needing to build around superstar guard and new face of the franchise, Luka Doncic.

With Doncic in his prime and coming off one of the best seasons of his career, winning the scoring title for the second time and making the All-NBA First Team, the Lakers’ revamped front office needs to be aggressive in acquiring winning pieces around their superstar.

However, that will be no easy feat, as the storied franchise will face challenges during the summer in NBA free agency and in potential trade scenarios. 

All signs point to the Lakers going all out to acquire superstar big man Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade, but the team’s lack of appealing assets will make that move incredibly difficult, with the Miami Heat seemingly in a prime position to land the two-time NBA MVP ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23.

Lakers Should Keep an Eye on Kel'el Ware

If the Heat is able to acquire Antetokounmpo in a trade, the Lakers might be able to take advantage by bringing in a player who could slip through the cracks.

There’s a chance that center Kel'el Ware could be sent to the Milwaukee Bucks in the deal for Antetokounmpo and then flipped in another deal to send him elsewhere.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN thinks the Lakers should jump at the opportunity to acquire Ware if he gets shipped to the Bucks.

“Big man who can stretch the floor, high energy, block shots,” Windhorst said of Ware. “There would be quite a few teams interested in Kel’el Ware if he got shipped to Milwaukee and they were willing to flip him. If I were the Lakers and Kel’el got shipped to Milwaukee, I’d be on the phone.” 

One of the Lakers’ priorities during the NBA offseason is upgrading the frontcourt with a player better suited to play with Doncic. 

Kel'el Ware Gives Lakers What Deandre Ayton Cannot

Mar 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) celebrates his three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

Although Deandre Ayton wasn’t awful during his first season in Los Angeles, the Lakers could use a center who plays with a similar style to Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, who thrived playing with Doncic on the Dallas Mavericks.

Ware fits that mold while also being at the beginning of his NBA career, having played two seasons with the Heat and being only 22 years old. 

The Lakers would get a promising young center who could take his game to another level while sharing the floor with Doncic and Austin Reaves for the foreseeable future.

During his two seasons in Miami, Ware averaged 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He also has the ability to be a force from beyond the arc, which is something Ayton can’t do, as the Indiana Hoosiers product has shot 36.9 percent from three-point range during his two-year career thus far.

Last season, Ware improved on his outside shooting while taking three attempts per game, finishing the season at 39.5 percent from deep. He also shoots 61.6 percent from the floor and 71.8 percent from the charity stripe for his career thus far.

Obviously, Antetokounmpo has to be moved with Ware included in the deal, and Milwaukee has to be interested in flipping him to another team for this scenario to come to fruition. But if everything falls into place, the Lakers would be wise to go after the talented big man.

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