NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers tipped to land towering $12,600,000 center naturally built to play with Luka Doncic and LeBron James

The LA Lakers’ first-round exit from the 2025 NBA Playoffs made it clear that the team needs to make some massive improvements if they are to contend for another title. Led by LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers boast much quality but lack a real center.

A weakness that the Minnesota Timberwolves repeatedly exploited en route to their 4-1 series win over the Lakers. As per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, there is a real possibility that Houston Rockets' Steven Adams could be lured away by a playoff team:

“Because of his two-way production, particularly his elite offensive rebounding, the possibility of Adams being lured away by a playoff team exists. Adams, who earned $12.6 million last season, would be a natural fit for teams such as San Antonio, New York, Indiana and both Los Angeles organizations.”

Adams made 58 appearances for the Houston Rockets this season, recording 3.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. He was one of the Rockets’ most important players against the Golden State Warriors and boasted a +/- of +44 (highest in the series).

Adams’ numbers may be underwhelming, but his impact goes beyond the stat sheet. He is solid on both ends of the floor and has been a menacing presence in the paint throughout most of his career. Furthermore, he is also known to be a positive locker-room presence.

Steven Adams is a low-cost option that perfectly fits the Lakers’ need for a center who can crash the boards and run pick-and-rolls with Doncic and James. However, the Rockets won’t make it easy for LA as they hope to speak to him about a potential extension within the coming days.

Furthermore, LA also needs to consider how many minutes they'll be able to get out of Adams, considering he only averaged 13.7 minutes per game in 2024-25.

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The LA Lakers will face competition if they pursue Steven Adams

If the Houston Rockets don’t tie down Steven Adams with an extension, another team is sure to pick him up in free agency, and it won’t necessarily be the LA Lakers. To contend in today’s NBA, teams need a strong center who can crash the boards and stack offensive rebounds, something that Adams excels at.

Teams like the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, the Clippers, and others are also in the market for a center. Furthermore, a veteran minimum contract could be all these teams need to snag Steven Adams. So, the Lakers will face plenty of competition if they choose to pursue the Rockets’ big man.