Daniel Gafford, Cam Johnson among players Lakers should consider trading for

The NBA Finals matchup between the Spurs and Knicks may be the main focus for collective NBA observers.But in the background, teams throughout the league are working toward improving for the 2026-27 season. Predraft workouts have been taking place for nearly a month ahead of the NBA draft in two weeks — which typically sparks league-wide player movement.

The start of free agency is just three weeks away. Within 1 ½ months, most teams should have a firm idea of what their roster will look like to start 2026-27. But last year, when the Magic acquired Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies in mid-June 2025, showed how teams are constantly working to improve their team.And that they may not be willing to wait until the Finals officially end to make the moves they need.Trades are the main sources for roster improvement.

And also one of the most complicated, with it taking at least two teams (and sometimes more) needing to partner on a deal.That’s without even factoring in the players involved, their representatives and all of the minutia it takes to get a deal done. It’s been nearly four years since the Lakers made a trade during the offseason: When they acquired Patrick Beverley from the Jazz for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson in August 2022. But the Lakers’ goal of building a more ideal roster around superstar Luka Doncic may cause that drought to end. Here are a few potential trade targets for the Lakers:2025-26 stats: 9.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.1 APG, 21.7 MPGContract: Three years, $54.4 million.

2026-27: $17.3 million; 2027-28: $18.1 million; 2028-29: $18.9 million The Lakers need a starting center who fits better alongside Doncic than Deandre Ayton.Who better to fill that role than one of the primary big men Doncic played alongside in Dallas during the Mavericks’ run to the 2024 NBA Finals? Gafford rebounds, finishes at the rim and proetcts the basket all at high levels – the type of rim-protecting/rim-running lob threat Doncic thrives a...