The worst-kept secret in the NBA is that the Los Angeles Lakers are searching for an ideal fit at center. Many names have been mentioned as potential targets, but with less than a month until the 2025 trade deadline, Los Angeles has yet to pull the trigger on a trade.
Unfortunately, the Lakers' patient approach to finding the answer at center has cost it dearly—and a long-time rival has emerged as the beneficiary.
Anthony Davis put the Lakers' need for help at center in the spotlight when he asked Rob Pelinka to find an upgrade in 2023. Davis has since reiterated his hope that Los Angeles will find a player who can provide interior support, but it's a fellow championship hopeful that managed to act when Pelinka wouldn't.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Phoenix Suns have traded Josh Okogie and three second-round draft picks to the Charlotte Hornets for center Nick Richards.
The Charlotte Hornets are trading 7-foot center Nick Richards and one second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/RwPGJH5lzo
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 15, 2025
As a result, the Lakers have officially missed out on a low-cost trade that would've brought them the perfect fit for their rotation.
Suns trade for Nick Richards, leaving Lakers in limbo
Richards, 27, was one of the best bargain targets on the open market. His status as the No. 2 center on an 8-28 team implied affordability as far as Charlotte's asking price would be concerned, and the return of Okogie and three second-round picks supports that belief.
Richards also has two years and just $10 million remaining on his contract, making him one of the cheapest season-by-season options around.
As for what he does on the court, Richards offers intriguing value as a player with strengths on both ends. That begins with his status as an elite rebounder who ranks in the Top 30 in the NBA in both defensive and offensive rebounding percentage.
For a Lakers team that ranks 23rd in second-chance points and 27th in second-chance points allowed, Richards looked the part of a perfect fit.
Unfortunately, Richards will now be headed to Phoenix, causing a Lakers rival to take a significant step forward. Jusuf Nurkic is quite a rebounder in his own right, but Richards is a superior defender whose athleticism seems to fit the structure of the Suns' rotation and strategy.
As Phoenix inches closer to contending, Los Angeles will now return to the drawing board without a clear path forward.
Jonas Valanciunas will likely continue to be the name to whom the Lakers are most often linked. He's a top-tier post scorer and rebounder who can address some of the team's biggest needs, but the likelihood of Los Angeles landing him for a similar cost to what Phoenix paid for Richards is low.
The question is: Will the Lakers act before another team swoops in and steals their thunder?