The Los Angeles Lakers have a massive need at the five position. Interestingly, the Charlotte Hornets might also target a big man in free agency or via trade. The profiles of the players they are looking for are similar, and Charlotte could ruin the Lakers' plan by snagging someone high on their list of preferences.
Of course, it didn't have to turn out this way. Failing Mark Williams' physical after acquiring him at the trade deadline had left Los Angeles with a glaring hole at center. It's even possible that the team would have fared better in the playoffs if it had Williams manning the paint instead of relying on Jaxson Hayes to be LeBron James and Luka Doncic's last line of defense and going small-ball for almost entire contests.
As for the Hornets, it appears they really had no intention of moving forward with the oft-injured big man, sending him to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for draft assets as soon as they could. After recently flipping Jusuf Nurkic for Collin Sexton to help solve its playmaking woes and bolster their draft capital even more, the franchise has to look for a reinforcement center this summer.
Because Charlotte already has Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate logging plenty of minutes at the big man position once the regular season starts, it might have to seek veteran help. Among the names to watch out for are Brook Lopez and Clint Capela, and according to Jake Fischer (subscription required), they are likely on the Lakers' radar.
Hornets have more resources to chase after a coveted center
It's still unclear which free agents Charlotte will consider going after. Considering the age of its core, it's possible that the front office would rather have someone on the same timeline. On the other hand, a veteran who can serve as a guiding presence and a needed locker room is also important for a squad that wants to compete with the best of the league.
So, the Lakers have to be wary of the Hornets when pursuing their targets this offseason. Buzz City has considerably more resources to bring in high-value free agents, while the Purple and Gold only has the taxpayer midlevel exception worth $5.7 million to work with.
The latest free agency rumblings, though, may indicate that Los Angeles does not have to worry about Charlotte. The marquee franchise has been linked to another former No. 1 draft pick, Deandre Ayton, who has recently agreed to part ways with the Portland Trail Blazers.
In the past years, Ayton has been mocked to the Hornets via trade a few times. Such a move is unlikely to happen because the 26-year-old big guy is the opposite of what Jeff Peterson has apparently sought. The lead executive has focused on high-motor players with a worker's mentality. So, if the Lakers chase after the former Suns cornerstone, they don't have to fret about Charlotte spoiling their plan.