The Los Angeles Lakers partially plugged their hole at the center position by acquiring former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Deandre Ayton, in free agency.
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Los Angeles also accomplished their primary objective of handing a 3-year, $165 million contract extension to their 26-year-old generational talent, Luka Dončić, which could eventually lead to a move for an even younger big man.
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In an effort to land a leaping frontcourt force that can fit better within the Lakers’ new timeline, it’s plausible to believe that the franchise’s front office could contact the New Orleans Pelicans to inquire about a trade for their incoming sophomore center, Yves Missi.
According to recent reports, New Orleans’ former No. 21 overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft could become a trade candidate for a myriad of reasons.
“Later, New Orleans made its biggest free agency splash in the form of veteran center Kevon Looney, who was coaxed away from the Golden State Warriors with a two-year, $16 million deal,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote Saturday.
“That’s a healthy enough investment to imagine Looney will be a significant factor in the team’s interior rotation.”
“The same holds true for (Derik) Queen—or rather, it will once he’s back wrist surgery—who probably needs to play the 5 to see major minutes whenever Zion Williamson is healthy.”
“Not to mention that Missi, your prototypical rim-runner, would work best alongside a visionary playmaker, which isn’t exactly the way one would describe New Orleans’ new starting point guard, Jordan Poole (4.5 assists against 3.0 turnovers last season).”
Missi is viewed as a suitable two-way, lob-catching big man that could benefit from working in tandem with a star passer. With that being the case, there may not be a better option as a pick-and-roll partner in the entire NBA than Dončić.
The Pelicans’ 21-year-old first-round pick certainly stood out for the team in his debut campaign, as he contributed 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 54.7% from the field in 73 appearances and 67 starts.
If the Lakers begin to view Missi as a necessary trade target, there could be an opportunity for both teams to perform a swap of their first-round picks from the 2024 NBA Draft, as a one-for-one deal exchanging forward Dalton Knecht for the athletic center could be in order.
Los Angeles’ 24-year-old prospect also averaged 9.1 points on a solid 37.6% three-point percentage last season, and he could be a valuable addition for a Pelicans squad looking to recover offensively after their decision to deal former All-Star and Most Improved Player winner, Brandon Ingram, to the Toronto Raptors.