New NBA rumor explains why Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks will have to wait months to make trade for center upgrade

While both the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks would like to make a trade for an impact center, a new rumor suggests they will have to wait a long time before real opportunities arise.

Entering the 2024-25 NBA season, there was a lot of hope for the Lakers and Knicks this season. But for very different reasons. LA is only a couple of seasons removed from a trip to the Western Conference Finals. The hope this summer was a switch to JJ Redick as their head coach would get them back into that same championship contention.

When it comes to the Knicks, they were one of the best teams in the league last season and made a pair of blockbuster trades this offseason to bolster their chances of getting to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. However, entering 2024 training camp both organizations had the same need. An upgrade at center position.

The Knicks lost starting center Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. Then backup Mitchell Robinson to recovery from an offseason surgery. The Lakers have Jaxson Hayes and Christian Koloko. But both are better off as reserve bigs instead of playing big roles next to Anthony Davis.

The teams have been linked to trades for big men since the summer. And a new report claims they won’t be addressing that need for a long time.

Strong buyers market hindering Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks center trade plans

“According to executives around the NBA, the Lakers have had discussions with a number of teams about big men. Though nothing seems close to being more than check-ins,” the Los Angeles Times reported recently. “A number of teams have been active in trying to poke loose a serviceable big making it a pretty strong seller’s market in the early stages of this year.”

With so many teams looking to add talent, it is going to be very difficult for the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks to make a meaningful trade for a center soon. Prices are likely very high. So they will need more teams to be looking to move talent to help drive down costs for available players.

This season’s NBA trade deadline is still a couple of months away on Feb. 6, 2025. December may offer up more opportunities when recently acquired players will become eligible for trades.