Lakers' Top Offseason Priority Revealed, Along with Key Player Targets

Following their elimination in the second round of the playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to make roster changes during the offseason.

Rumors are circulating in basketball circles that the Lakers might explore options for blockbuster trades involving stars like Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown.

However, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, the prevailing sentiment around the league is that the team is more likely to retain most of its core rotational players.

LeBron James remains the biggest unknown, while Austin Reaves is also expected to stay with the team.

Rui Hachimura could return if he doesn't receive a significant offer from another club.

The futures of Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard are considered uncertain and depend on their market value. On the other hand, Bronny James, Jackson Hayes, and potentially Deandre Ayton are seen as secure for the new season, provided Ayton doesn't opt out of his contract.

Nevertheless, one primary roster need stands out above all others.

“They’re going to find a big guy, I think that’s their red line,” a source told Deveney. “That’s probably going to be the big change there, that’s the thing they’ve been talking about for the last couple of years. The Lakers have high hopes for the summer,” Deveney writes, adding, “But realistically, as one executive notes, ‘You have to take what the market gives you.’ I think they understand they have a good team, they just need a guy who can be a star in his role at center.”

Currently, the Lakers possess several trade assets, including their 2031 and 2033 first-round draft picks, as well as the 25th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Californians finished as the fourth seed in the Western Conference during the 2025-26 regular season.