Lakers Suddenly have a NEW Center Trade Target and it could be a GAME CHANGER..
Aug 3, 2026 · 15 min · 9 segments
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- Lakers Trade AnalystHost
Aug 3, 2026 · 15 min · 9 segments
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
To begin, could they even get him and why would the Charlotte Hornets trade him? If he's so good and if he's worth so much more than what he'll be making, why would they trade him? Even apart from the future and having to pay him? Have they done something that might hint at moving on from him, or at least one of their current frontcourt players? Well, yes, they actually have.
During the NBA draft, they did spend a lottery pick on a big man, drafting 6'11 center Hannes Steinbach.
You know, maybe center power forward hybrid, but he does play the 5.
Did play the 5 in college a good amount.
And with that build, 6 foot 11, roughly 250 pounds, and with a 7 foot plus swing span, I would venture to say that they do factor him in.
I would venture to say that they definitely do factor him.
I would venture to say that, yes, they definitely do factor him into the rotation and that center position.
Meaning, they're likely moving on and don't envision one of their current centers in that rotation of the future.
You know a situation that I've talked about, one that I've been monitoring, I think that could be a great option for a team looking for a backup center.
A team like the Lakers who maybe don't want to spend a lot, don't have a lot to spend in regard to draft capital obviously, having no tradable first on draft picks, one tradable first on swap, and only three tradable second round draft picks, that could be a good situation for them.
Again, with Diabate, definitely is valuable, definitely is a good center, you know, even started for their team last season.
Starting in 47, out of a possible 73 games that he played, so, you know, finishing the year for their team in that starting center spot, playing very well for them, you know, doing the dirty work, protecting the rim, running the court, doing all the stuff that doesn't really get mentioned, Diabate does it.
And again, with the value and what the value points to, not only on the salary cap model I showed before, but pulling up bballindex.com, yes it definitely does confirm it, having a contract value of 29.3 million this season, having a value over expected of 27 million, so way over what he made, yeah there's a lot of metrics, a lot of numbers pointing to him being a really good player, and one that definitely would be worth trading for.
And taking that a bit further, what he did on defense and offense to their team, and what he might be able to do for a different team, there's a lot to like here with Moussa Diabate.
Pulling up the interior defense, grading out with a B grade in rim protection, having a B- in rim disruption, which might not seem that great, but he is a versatile big man.
Not only can protect the rim, but he can switch-
To begin, could they even get him and why would the Charlotte Hornets trade him? If he's so good and if he's worth so much more than what he'll be making, why would they trade him? Even apart from the future and having to pay him? Have they done something that might hint at moving on from him, or at least one of their current frontcourt players? Well, yes, they actually have.
During the NBA draft, they did spend a lottery pick on a big man, drafting 6'11 center Hannes Steinbach.
You know, maybe center power forward hybrid, but he does play the 5.
Did play the 5 in college a good amount.
And with that build, 6 foot 11, roughly 250 pounds, and with a 7 foot plus swing span, I would venture to say that they do factor him in.
I would venture to say that they definitely do factor him.
I would venture to say that, yes, they definitely do factor him into the rotation and that center position.
Meaning, they're likely moving on and don't envision one of their current centers in that rotation of the future.
You know a situation that I've talked about, one that I've been monitoring, I think that could be a great option for a team looking for a backup center.
A team like the Lakers who maybe don't want to spend a lot, don't have a lot to spend in regard to draft capital obviously, having no tradable first on draft picks, one tradable first on swap, and only three tradable second round draft picks, that could be a good situation for them.
Again, with Diabate, definitely is valuable, definitely is a good center, you know, even started for their team last season.
Starting in 47, out of a possible 73 games that he played, so, you know, finishing the year for their team in that starting center spot, playing very well for them, you know, doing the dirty work, protecting the rim, running the court, doing all the stuff that doesn't really get mentioned, Diabate does it.
And again, with the value and what the value points to, not only on the salary cap model I showed before, but pulling up bballindex.com, yes it definitely does confirm it, having a contract value of 29.3 million this season, having a value over expected of 27 million, so way over what he made, yeah there's a lot of metrics, a lot of numbers pointing to him being a really good player, and one that definitely would be worth trading for.
And taking that a bit further, what he did on defense and offense to their team, and what he might be able to do for a different team, there's a lot to like here with Moussa Diabate.
Pulling up the interior defense, grading out with a B grade in rim protection, having a B- in rim disruption, which might not seem that great, but he is a versatile big man.
Not only can protect the rim, but he can switch-
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