Lakers’ Top Offseason NBA Target Revealed
Lakers' Top Offseason NBA Target Revealed
The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be setting their sights on veteran center Clint Capela for the upcoming free agency period. According to reports from ClutchPoints, Capela is positioned high on the Lakers’ target board as they look to strengthen their frontcourt depth before the 2025-26 season.
“League sources anticipate yet another tough market for free agents this summer, but it’s not so dry that Steven Adams will be available to the Lakers, let alone Myles Turner or Naz Reid. Clint Capela is considered within reach at $5.7 million and, as such, is expected to sit pretty high on the Lakers’ target board,” the report read.
Capela, 31, has spent the last five seasons with the Atlanta Hawks where he posted averages of 8.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in limited minutes during the 2024-25 campaign. The Swiss big man made his mark in the NBA as a rebounding specialist, even leading the league in that category during the 2020-21 season with 14.3 boards per game.
The Lakers’ interest makes strategic sense given their current roster construction. After trading away key frontcourt pieces at the previous deadline, the team struggled with size during their first-round playoff exit against Minnesota. They often resorted to small-ball lineups that proved ineffective against stronger rebounding teams.
Financial considerations make Capela particularly attractive for the Lakers’ front office. Reports suggest he could be obtained with the taxpayer mid-level exception valued at approximately $5.7 million. This represents one of the few mechanisms available to the Lakers for adding talent while operating above the luxury tax apron.
Despite being slightly undersized at 6’10”, Capela brings valuable skills that the Lakers currently lack:
- Elite rebounding ability
- Rim protection (averaged 1.0 blocks per game last season)
- Lob threat in pick-and-roll situations
- High-energy play style
The Hawks appear ready to move on from Capela, having already begun transitioning to younger center Onyeka Okongwu in their starting lineup. This aligns with Capela hitting unrestricted free agency, creating an opportunity for the Lakers to bolster their rotation behind Anthony Davis without sacrificing major assets.
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
