The Los Angeles Lakers‘ search for a starting-caliber center in the offseason could lead them to the Atlanta Hawks‘ Clint Capela.
Bleacher Report’s salary cap expert Eric Pincus named the soon-to-become unrestricted free-agent center as the Hawks’ “most likely flight risk.”
“The Hawks must decide if Clint Capela is their starting center of the future or whether they should hand the reins to 24-year-old Onyeka Okongwu. Capela is taller (6’10”) than Okongwu (6’8″), but he’s almost 31 and has slowed with age.
The Hawks can look for a center in the draft (via the Los Angeles Lakers and/or Sacramento Kings‘ first-rounders) or in free agency,” Pincus wrote.
If the Hawks, who have Capela’s bird rights, do not bring him back, the Lakers could get him for the cheap — as low as the taxpayer midlevel exception or more than the non-taxpayer midlevel — depending on his market this summer.
“Capela should find suitors elsewhere, although he’ll undoubtedly be taking a pay cut from his $22.3 million salary this season. He should sign a new deal in the $5-14 million-per-year range,” Pincus added.
Cheaper Option
Capela will join a crowded center market led by fellow unrestricted free agents Brook Lopez, Myles Turner and, Al Horford, Kevon Looney and Naz Reid (player option).
Turner is the obvious top choice but the Lakers do not have the cap room unless LeBron James declines his player option and signs elsewhere which is unlikely happening. A sign-and-trade with Turner is possible but the Lakers need to give up rotation players to match salaries and besides, they only have their 2031 first-round selection and two pick swaps to potentially offer Indiana.
But after Lakers vice president and general manager Rob Pelinka pulled off the Luka Dončić trade and nearly traded for Mark Williams, anything is possible.
If they want to retain their core and just add a center, Capela is a cheaper option.
Rim Runner Partner For Luka
Capela perfectly fits the mold of a rim-running center which Luka Dončić asked the Lakers to get for him upon his arrival.
Jaxson Hayes showed some flashes but he is inexperienced and has yet to put together a large sample size to make the Lakers believe he could be their long-term center.
The 31-year-old Capela isn’t the long-term solution either but he could bridge the gap while the Lakers bid their time to have access to more draft assets to dangle for a bigger name.
Capela is having a down year, averaging only 8.9 points and 8.1 rebounds with 1.0 blocks but that’s because he’s playing less in the Hawks’ crowded center rotation. He’s only playing 21.4 minutes, his lowest since the 2015-16 season.
A move to the Lakers could give him starters minutes and potentially return to being the league’s most prolific offensive rebounder.
Lakers Convert Jordan Goodwin’s 2-Way Deal
The Lakers have waived former lottery pick Cam Reddish to create roster space for Jordan Goodwin, whose two-way deal was converted to a standard contract to make him eligible for the playoffs.
Goodwin, 26, has exhausted his eligibility as a two-way player for the Lakers after their win in Indiana.
The undrafted guard has played well enough to warrant a playoff roster spot for the Lakers. The undrafted guard is averaging 6.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 20.5 minutes while shooting 41% from the 3-point line.
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