GettyRob Pelinka and J.J. Redick looking ahead
The Los Angeles Lakers have played well to start the season, sitting at 3-2 overall after their 134-110 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 30. While the Lakers have impressed, their loss against the Cavaliers showed some glaring issues, as Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen had big games. Mobley had 25 points, and Allen had 20 points with 17 rebounds.
As the Lakers continue to play, they could be in the mix to trade for a center, giving them more flexibility to play Anthony Davis at the four.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report named an interesting candidate, naming the Lakers a potential landing spot for Brooklyn Nets young center Day’Ron Sharpe.
“After reinvesting in Nicolas Claxton this offseason, will the Nets pay to keep Day’Ron Sharpe as his long-term backup? Sharpe, who will miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury, is a big-bodied center at 6’9”, 265 pounds, who collected 6.4 rebounds in just 15.1 minutes per game last season. At 22, he needs more opportunity to blossom, which may not come in Brooklyn.
“The Nets are the only franchise projected to have substantial cap room next offseason ($56-$82 million, depending on which players they choose to keep, Dorian Finney-Smith’s player option and their draft position)… Although others may be able to get to cap space via trade or other means, the Nets arguably have a monopoly on true flexibility this summer,” Pincus wrote on October 22. “With that considered, if they want to keep Sharpe, they will.”
Pincus predicted that Sharpe would land a $22 million, three-year deal in the offseason. If the Lakers were to trade for him now, they’d have to match his $3.98 million deal this season.
Lakers Have Interest in Trading for a Center
The Los Angeles Lakers have been interested in trading for a center over the past few months, which is where Sharpe could come into play.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Walker Kessler is the guy to watch.
“I think we need more time to see which guys become available,” Buha said on October 26. “I think Walker Kessler is a name that the Lakers have been interested in that would make a lot of sense and would allow you to either start a two-big look or probably more realistically bring him off the bench.”
However, according to Ian Begley of SNY, the New York Knicks offered two first-round picks for Kessler, and the Utah Jazz declined the offer. If the Lakers had to move two first-round picks for Kessler, Sharpe, whose price should be lower, would likely be the better player to target.
How Sharpe Would Help the Lakers
Sharpe, still only 22 years old, would be an intriguing option for the Los Angeles Lakers now and in the future. The young center could play minutes next to Davis or come off the bench.
The Lakers could like what they’ve seen out of him, as he’s rebounded at a high level in his young career. In 2023-24, he averaged 6.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game.
With the Lakers being an older team, having a young impact player like Sharpe could go a long way.
