A Bam Adebayo trade to the Los Angeles Lakers is highly unrealistic, given the Miami Heat’s reluctance to move a franchise cornerstone and the LA’s limited trade assets and cap flexibility.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves has highlighted a major issue: the team desperately needs a starting center.
Relying on Jaxson Hayes and playing small-ball for 90-95% of the series hasn’t been effective, and with the LA Lakers now trailing 1-3, attention is already turning to offseason moves.
One name generating buzz is Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, who could be a potential trade target to pair with Luka Doncic. On his latest podcast, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha discussed the possibility.
“I think he’d be good next to Luka because they’re both All-Star, All-NBA guys, and they’re both smart and they can make it work,” Buha said.
“I think Bam is not enough of a lob threat for what the Lakers would want. Defensively, he’d be great because he’s a great defender, but I don’t know if they could get him. … From a trade [perspective], I don’t really see LA having enough to offer [to Miami].”
Buha suggested a potential trade package of Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, a 2030 pick swap, and an unprotected 2031 first-round pick — but even that may not be enough.
“I don’t think Miami is doing that,” the beat writer added.
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Cap space is another hurdle. The Lakers aren’t projected to have much financial flexibility this summer.
“Lakers don’t have cap space. They’re not projected to have that cap space, and projected to have potentially the non-taxpayer MLE,” Buha said. “But then they are hard capped with the 1st apron, or they can have the taxpayer MLE, and then they can go up to the 2nd apron.
“There are some ways to work out the cap stuff to get a little bit of space, but not much, and even then it could potentially come down to LeBron James taking a massive pay cut, which I have been on the record saying I’m skeptical of,” Buha concluded.
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Meanwhile, Adebayo just wrapped up a disappointing playoff run with the Heat, who were swept 4-0 by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
After the Game 4 loss, the 27-year-old three-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist hinted at changes coming.
“There’s going to be a lot of changes this summer,” he said. “Just from my point of view… be prepared for that.”
Last summer, Miami’s captain and starting center signed a three-year, $166 million extension with the Heat, the only team he’s played for since Miami drafted him in 2017.