It was revealed that the Lakers had inquired about Okongu! The team notes discuss reinforcement goals: Adebayo is also a good fit for the team

On May 23, Beijing time, Lakers reporter Dave McMenamin talked about the team's recruitment topic on the show, according to him, the Lakers had inquired about Hawks center Okongu before the trade deadline, and another Lakers reporter Buha said on the show that Adebayo and Wiggins are also suitable for the Lakers, but they may not have the chips to get such new signings.

McMenamin said Mark Williams wasn't the only center target the Lakers approached in the days between getting Doncic and the trade deadline. Pelinka also called Okongu, the Hawks' young insider. The 24-year-old, who is in the first year of a four-year, $62 million contract, has excellent athleticism and sharp defensive instincts despite being slightly undersized in position.

"I can't reveal all the names on that list until we trade Mark Williams, but I'm guessing Okongu is actually one of the names on Pelinka's shortlist that Pelinka put forward to Doncic, because I do know that the Lakers called the Hawks before the trade deadline to ask about Okongu. I think the Lakers value his air-to-air threat and athleticism, that's absolute. As for whether it is a perfect fit, it may not be. But they may not be able to find a perfect fit either. ”

"Capela in '17-18 might have been the ideal candidate, but it's '25-26 now. That's where they are. My point is, don't go all out for a player like Claxton who earns $20-$30 million a year...... They'll have a mini-mid-class and should try to sign a player at that salary level, and if he proves to be a bad fit, make sure to keep a draft pick and then pursue another opportunity next February. ”

Okongu would be a good fit for the Lakers in terms of skill and age — he fits perfectly into Doncic's championship window and has a reasonable contract length and salary structure. Of course, the Eagles are aware of this, which is likely to be the reason why the negotiations between the two sides have not gone deep.

Another team reporter, Buha, said he is bullish on Bam Adebayo's idea of joining Los Angeles, believing that the player would be a "clear upgrade" — that he fits perfectly into the team's system on the defensive end and that while the offensive style may not be the ideal template for the Lakers, it is still a valuable addition.

However, Buha also acknowledged that such a trade may not be justified for the Heat, who are likely to only get Reaves, who has similar characteristics to Tyler Herro.

"I think the key problem is that the trade chips that the Lakers can offer aren't attractive enough," Buha said, "and if you're putting yourself in the Heat's shoes — why would they trade Reaves if they already have Herro?" The two do have similarities and differences, but overall they are of the same type of player. Reeves is two years older than Herro and only a year younger than Adebayo. ”

While Reaves was seen as a trade chip for the Lakers, Buha also mentioned that the team needed to add a forward player, and Wiggins fit that need. Last season, Wiggins was sent to the Heat as part of the Butler trade with the Warriors, where he played the second half of the game.

While Buha called Wiggins a "reasonable target", he has no specific information on the potential deal at this time, but he suggested a possible trade idea –

"I think if the Lakers want to address their forward needs in the trade market, Wiggins is a player I'm very optimistic about, and maybe I can use Hachimura as the core chip to complete the trade with a player with a salary match."

"For me, any deal that would allow the Lakers to bring in a new rotation without giving away the first six rotation players is viable — the bottom line is to be willing to trade a player like Vincent for a promotion option. While I haven't heard specific rumors related to Wiggins, he's really the type of target that fits the Lakers' needs. ”