The center position has been a constant topic surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers this season. Their offseason addition of Deandre Ayton has flopped. While the counting stats don't look bad at 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds, his impact has been minimal.
The former first overall pick hasn't been tasked with much for LA this season, as all they really need him to do is be a reliable rim protector, screener, and lob threat. He's somehow still struggled to do so.
Thankfully for the Lakers, a solution to their center struggles could be on the horizon this offseason. That would come in the form of New Orleans Pelicans second-year big man Yves Missi.
We saw during the Dallas Mavericks' run to the NBA finals during the 2023-24 season that Luka Doncic thrives when alongside a lob threat that also doubles as a rim protector at the five. The tandem that Doncic formed with both Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II was special and could be replicated in California with Missi.
Missi should be there for the taking via trade with the Pelicans
After being linked to the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Toronto Raptors ahead of the 2026 trade deadline, New Orleans' stance on Missi is unlikely to change. Despite making the league's All-Rookie second-team last season and leading New Orleans in games played, it appears they have other plans in the front court.
After the Pelicans traded away their 2026 first-round pick and the 23rd pick in the 2025 NBA draft for Derik Queen, he has leapfrogged Missi in the Pelicans' long-term plans at the center spot.
This is a great chance for the Lakers to land a center to pair with Doncic for the next several seasons. Missi even has two more years on a rookie-scale contract after this season.
He isn't a complicated big man—he crashes the glass hard, is tough, has freakish athleticism, and great shot-blocking instincts. This simple playing style is reflected in his season averages: 5.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
Missi on the follow pic.twitter.com/TyDMoxUg4A
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) January 7, 2026
Fans may remember Missi's highlight putback against the Lakers back on January 6th. Those types of high motor plays are a regular occurrence for the 21-year-old.
At 6-foot-11, the athleticism he possesses is rare and could form a deadly pick-and-roll and open-floor duo with Doncic. This athleticism also benefits him defensively, as he pairs it with great shot-blocking instincts that have helped him rank in the 93rd percentile in block percentage this season, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Having a big man who can serve as the last line of defense when Doncic gets beat on the perimeter would be a massive upgrade over what they currently have with Ayton.
All season long, Missi has floated in and out of New Orleans' center rotation, but when he does play, the advanced numbers love him. Missi is the only player on the Pelicans with a positive net rating, while also posting the second-highest offensive rating on the team.
This happens to be the inverse of Ayton's impact for LA. the team's net rating is +6.0 points better when he is off the court, according to Databallr.
If the Lakers are looking to maximize Doncic and move on from the Ayton experiment, they should look no further than Missi this summer. The second-year big man would give LA a younger, athletic center while also addressing their rebounding and rim protection problems.