The LA Lakers have several major decisions to make this summer. With the contract situation involving LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart, the front office has plenty to address in the coming months. However, one lingering issue is yet to be solved: finding the perfect big man. 

With Deandre Ayton’s future unclear, given his poor run, the Lakers may have received an unexpected lifeline in their quest for a big man. Coming straight from the trade market, NBA analyst Jake Weinbach reported that the Brooklyn Nets have included their promising ‘starting-caliber’ center, Nic Claxton, in trade conversations. 

With the Brooklyn side looking for major upgrades this summer, several teams, such as the Lakers, Clippers, and Hornets, have emerged as the potential landing spots, as per Weinbach.

The Nets’ motivation is straightforward: they’re rebuilding around cap flexibility and draft capital, and Claxton, entering Year 3 of a four-year, $97 million deal at $24 million annually, represents a movable, high-value piece in that equation.

Brooklyn isn’t selling low; they’re dealing from a position of strength, with enough cap room to absorb whatever comes back.

Importantly, this development could work in the Lakers’ favor. Ironically, the Lakers were reportedly interested in roping in Claxton in the 2025 Summer. Eventually, they ended up roping in Deandre Ayton. A year later, the team has arrived at the same point in the conversation.

Ayton’s postseason struggles made the argument for him difficult to sustain. Without Luka Doncic, he averaged 10.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg, and just 0.8 bpg. In the semifinal series against the Thunder specifically, he managed 7.3 ppg on 45.2% shooting. Numbers that are hard to justify from a center who is supposed to anchor the paint.

The contrast with Claxton isn’t just statistical, it’s structural. Where Ayton is a traditional, ground-bound big who needs plays run for him, Claxton is a switchable, lob-hunting, pick-and-roll weapon.

With Doncic orchestrating, drawing doubles, and threading passes into tight windows, Claxton’s athleticism and rim-running become exponentially more dangerous. Ayton never quite unlocked that dimension with the Lakers. Claxton’s entire game is built around it.

In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 11.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.7 apg, and 1.1 bpg. The numbers can further improve with the presence of Doncic and Claxton’s urgency compared to Ayton’s.

With Ayton unsure of his future with the Lakers, waiting on his player option for the upcoming season, Nic Claxton has emerged as a realistic option. 

But will the Lakers have the cap space?

Austin Reaves’ offseason could impact the Lakers’ plans

Everything will come down to how the Lakers will react to Austin Reaves’s demand, as he remains the biggest variable. 

The promising guard, who is due for an extension, has reportedly sought a 5-year $241 million contract. Such a deal would eat the major portion of available cap space. Also, close the doors for the team’s ambition for roster upgrades.

At the same time, the team has to decide on other roster situations involving LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, and Jaxson Hayes, who will hit the free agency market. 

So why did the Lakers pivot to Ayton in the first place? At the time, Ayton came cheaper on a 2-year, $16 million deal, a low-risk, high-floor move for a team in win-now mode.

Claxton’s four-year, $97 million commitment was a longer, more expensive leap. The Lakers weren’t ready to make it.

Now, a year later, the calculus has shifted: Ayton has underdelivered, the need for a switchable big is more urgent with Doncic in the fold, and Claxton’s existing contract, rather than being a deterrent, is already defined and priced in.

For now, everything depends on Reaves. If he decides to settle for a hometown deal, the team can make impending roster upgrade. And also gear up for another championship push. 

In the meantime, the All-Star offense-dominant big man Domantas Sabonis has entered the trade market, as per Jake Fischer.

He’s a different archetype from Claxton, a ground-bound, high-usage playmaker rather than a vertical athlete, but he offers elite rebounding and a passing game that could complement Doncic in its own way.

The catch is cost: Sabonis carries a significantly larger contract, and acquiring him would require moving substantially more in assets. The Lakers would need to ask whether his profile actually fits their spacing needs better than Claxton’s, or whether his price tag makes him a non-starter regardless.

For now, Claxton represents the cleaner, more realistic fit. If the Reaves situation resolves favorably. The Lakers were a year early on this conversation in 2025. In 2026, the window may actually be open.