Los Angeles Lakers fans thought they were safe and sound after the 2025 NBA trade deadline—a deadline that saw them appear to acquire both guard Luka Doncic and center Mark Williams.
However, the Lakers' trade for the up-and-coming Williams fell through Saturday. That left Los Angeles in relative disarray, given its need for a big man after sending center Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.
A few candidates could potentially hit the buyout market for the Lakers (or another contender) to scoop up, but per Sam Vecenie of The Athletic that crop is unlikely to include the name Los Angeles covets most.
"[Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr.] is, by far, the best possible name as a solid defender and high-IQ player who does a little bit of everything including shooting, but league sources throughout the year have been quite clear that Atlanta coach Quin Snyder is a big fan of him," Vecenie wrote Monday morning. "I’d be surprised if he gets bought out, but he’s worth bringing up first."
Nance, who began his career with the Lakers from 2016 to '18, has hit a four-year high with 8.5 points per game this season.
However, from Los Angeles's perspective, the downside of Nance's success is that he has been crucial to a 25-28 team jockeying for play-in position. The Hawks currently sit in ninth place, a half-game behind the eighth-place Orlando Magic.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Strong Buyout Candidate to Fill Lakers Big Man Need Unlikely to Hit Market.
