So long as LeBron James is their franchise player, the Los Angeles Lakers will constantly be searching for top talent to surround him and Anthony Davis with to compete for championships.
Recent trade rumors do more than float the idea that the Lakers will make a play for Atlanta Hawks standout pick-and-roll center Clint Capela; they all but confirm any ruminations surrounding such a potential deal taking shape.
Are the Lakers working on a trade for Clint Capela?
Blake Meek of TWSN reported that sources close to him and the publication have asserted that Los Angeles will execute a trade with the rebuilding Hawks for Capela. He justified the Lakers’ need to bring a player of his stock on board by saying this in part:
“Capela is exactly what the Lakers need on their team. They need a big center who can play down low and bang with the other centers in the west. His ability to rebound and play defense in the paint would be a huge bonus for the Lakers. This also allows Anthony Davis to not have to play down low and be as physical against those big guys, hopefully keeping him healthier,” Meek wrote.
Capela would give the Lakers an elite pick-and-roll scorer and rebounder
The former 2021 NBA rebounding leader would bring many positive things to the Lakers’ attack next season. From the eye test, Capela is one of the most gifted screen-and-roll producers of this generation. His adroitness at setting effective screens, rolling hard to the rim while occupying the center of the floor, and finishing with authority at the rim would work wonders for L.A., particularly in concert with willing passers in James and D’Angelo Russell running the show.
Outside of that, Capela would also give the Lakers a boost on the glass, help Davis turn the rim into no man’s land on defense, and give Los Angeles a frontcourt of three players between 6-9 and 6-10 that can impose themselves on any opposing team in the league and get out on the break.
The 30-year-old averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 25.8 minutes a night for Atlanta last time out. He’s also not far removed from producing 15.2 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks when given 30.1 MPG back in 2020-21, a season that saw him finish No. 6 in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The positives and negatives of rumored Clint Capela trade
The deal in question sees the Lakers trade away Rui Hachimura, Cam Reddish, and Jalen Hood-Schifino to the Hawks for the Swiss center. If a deal of this magnitude has landed on Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka’s desk, he’ll need to assess whether the Lakers would be better off with more interior fortitude than a combo forward in Hachimura that can provide floor spacing and create his own shot out of the triple-threat.
The Lakers were an average rebounding team last time out, finishing with the 13th most boards a night (43.1 RPG), and could use a lift in that department judging off what the record states. However, they also finished with the fourth-fewest threes a game (11.8 3PM), so a tough decision will need to be made in that regard. Capela is worth investing in for the right price, though, and this Lakers core has proven they can win it all with a two-big front.