Nov 17, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket between Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) and center Dereck Lively II (2) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers need a starting center.

At some level, even current starting five Jaxson Hayes must be aware of this. After all, L.A. did make a pre-trade deadline deal to acquire rim-rolling young big man Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets before ultimately rescinding the deal when Williams failed his team physical.

So how can Los Angeles team president Rob Pelinka shore up his club’s frontcourt around All-Stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic?

 proposes a deal that would see the Lakers flip their third-best player, guard Austin Reaves, plus defense-first forward Jarred Vanderbilt to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for former five-time All-Star Klay Thompson and center Daniel Gafford, the starter on last year’s NBA Finals-bound squad.

Dallas Mavericks Receive: G Austin Reaves, F Jarred Vanderbilt

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G/F Klay Thompson, C Daniel Gafford

Losing Reaves for an aging Thompson would hurt (although Thompson is a solid floor spacer), but the prize in this deal is clearly Gafford, a rim-rolling center who has already proven to be a great pick-and-roll partner and lob threat for his former Mavericks teammate Luka Doncic.

Could Los Angeles actually pull the trigger on this massive move?

Thompson looked cooked early into the 2024-25 season, struggling to make even 40 percent of his field goal looks nearly two months into the season.

That said, the four-time champ has rounded into form of late. Taking on a bigger offensive burden with Doncic out of town and All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis hurt, the 6-foot-5 swingman is averaging 14.5 points on .416/.399/.903 shooting splits, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his 58 healthy games this season.

An L.A. native (and the son of Showtime-era champion big man Mychal Thompson, currently a Lakers radio announcer), Thompson briefly flirted with the Lakers as a free agent before opting instead to sign with Dallas last summer.

Like most of Dallas’ big men, Gafford has been hurt for much of the calendar year. He hurt his right knee on February 10, and had to be helped to the Mavericks’ team locker room.

He was officially diagnosed with a Grade 3 MCL sprain. In a murky team injury report on March 7, the Mavericks suggested that he would be out for at least another two weeks.

Gafford is currently earning $14.4 million on an expired deal, but is expected to seek a contract extension with Dallas to remain with the franchise long-term, per . Given the team’s rocky season thus far after making the NBA Finals last summer (highlighted by the club’s confounding decision to trade five-time All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic to the Lakers), it’s somewhat surprising that Gafford would seek a deal.

Through his 51 healthy games for the Mavericks, this year the 6-foot-10 Arkansas product has been averaging 12.3 points on 69.9 percent shooting from the floor and 69.9 percent shooting from the foul line, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 assists a night.

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