Los Angeles Lakers: 1 potential trade target from each non-playoff team

By Jason Reed | Jul 3, 2021

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 12: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs leads the offense in the second quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on May 12, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Detroit Pistons: Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor is someone who I admittedly have never given up on in the league even though he has given every reason to give up on him. Don’t get me wrong, he will never live up to being a top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but I do think he can still be productive in the NBA.

Productive for his role, of course. Okafor is not going to be a main component on any team that he is on and expecting him to be such is silly. However, as a bench center that provides rebounding and rim protection.

LeBron James gets the most out of most centers that he plays with and even if you are a below-average scoring presence you will be maximized as a drive-and-dump target as well as a lob target. Okafor is definitely capable of adding the presence to the Lakers.

There are a lot of unknowns with the center position this offseason. There are cheap options that the Los Angeles Lakers can pursue in free agency, as well as the unknown with Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell and Andre Drummond.

Okafor would be a cheap acquisition for the Lakers, likely only taking Alfonzo McKinnie and a second-round pick.

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