Some things in life are non-negotiables. Maybe it’s that ice-cold Starbucks fix. Maybe it’s the soulmate you swear God handcrafted. But for Rob Pelinka? After this NBA season, his must-have is clear as day. The man would probably Prime-order a starting center if Amazon listed one. With the West only getting scarier, the Lakers can’t afford to snooze. They’ve got to tighten up and fast. But here’s the twist—if the rumors around Pelinka’s moves are even half true, L.A. might sneak back into the title convo. Yeah, you heard that right. An actual outside shot at a ring.

Things aren’t looking too sunny for the Lakers’ books. Sitting in the second apron? Yikes. That’s millions they can’t even dream of spending. What they need is a steal—a guy who’s solid, reliable, and most importantly, cheap. Turns out, the basketball gods might’ve done Pelinka a favor. Just when it looked like every viable option had packed up and left, in came the immovable object—Nick Richards. The guy’s a total mismatch on the Suns’ roster. But drop him in L.A.? He might just fit like a glove.

Phoenix had a choice to make today—guarantee Nick Richards’ deal or send him packing. They got him mid-season from Charlotte, and he didn’t exactly sit around. The man started 34 out of 36 games, put up 9.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, with one steal—all in just 22 minutes a night. Now? The big question is whether he fits into Phoenix’s future plans. Right now, it’s all up in the air. This just might be the smash and grab opportunity to take Pelinka’s team to back to the Showtime.

Nick Richards isn’t just productive—he’s a bargain. The guy’s making an expiring, team-friendly $5 million for 2025-26. That’s pocket change in NBA terms. And here’s the kicker: he’s stuck on a Suns team that already shot itself in the foot at the 2025 Draft. They gave up leverage. Now, they’re left juggling assets they can’t move easily.

Richards might be the perfect storm—affordable, available, and exactly what a team like the Lakers needs. But it’s not a Rob Pelinka off-season without more twists and turns. And what this rocky hill has fruited is yet another cheap, out of favor center, who somehow puts the Richards rumors to shame. As it happens, even Hawks center Clint Capela could be up for grabs. And this isn’t as baseless as it seems.

“Capela, 31, has probably aged out of his stay in Atlanta. Onyeka Okongwu and others will fill that spot, leaving the veteran rebounder and shot-blocker to find a new home,” wrote Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. “He should expect a decrease in pay, but he may be one of the top available bigs on the market.”

Speaking of bigs, here’s a weird one—why isn’t DeAndre Ayton on Rob Pelinka’s radar? The guy just hit free agency and has the best resume of any available center. On paper, it’s a no-brainer. But here’s the thing: not every decision comes down to money. Some whispers out of Portland suggest Ayton brought more baggage than benefit. Whatever those rumors were, they might’ve been enough to make Pelinka think, “Yeah… hard pass.”

DeAndre Ayton being a “locker room cancer” may have forced Rob Pelinka’s hands

Portland landed Ayton in that big trade that sent Jusuf Nurkić and a package of other pieces to the Suns. Now, with free agency looming, Ayton’s name is back on the market—and this time, the ball’s in his court. He turns 27 next month, and let’s be honest—he won’t be short on offers. Teams desperate for a reliable big man will line up. Last season with the Blazers, he quietly put up a solid 14.4 points and 10.2 boards a night. The man knows how to clean the glass—on both ends. But again, having the skills to pay the bills alone ain’t enough.

“But I will say this about DeAndre Ayton. The word around the league is not good about DeAndre Ayton. The Portland Trail Blazers were happy as hell that they got to this point with him. Right now, he’s been labeled as a diva, as a counselor in the locker room, and if I’m DeAndre Ayton, I gotta have a moment. gotta have someone speak the real to me because we’re talking about a former number one pick that didn’t work out with his team, that didn’t work out with the Phoenix Suns, the team that drafted him number one,” said Kendrick Perkins on ESPN.

These accusations might not be fully out of the realm of possibility. And that might just leave Rob Pelinka scrambling for others instead. But if the others include the likes of Clint Capela and Nick Richards, the Lakers just might be better off.