Dwight Powell Revealed As “Significant Option” For Lakers As Final Offseason Addition

Following his first mini-camp with his new Lakers teammates, star point guard Luka Doncic is feeling good about the future. While there is still a lot of work ahead for his team, the vibes are overall positive heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

Even so, the Lakers may not be done changing and tweaking the roster. According to the latest intel, veteran big man Dwight Powell is the best choice remaining in free agency, and he’s reportedly being considered as a final addition to the Purple and Gold.

“The most significant option for the Lakers could be Dwight Powell, the 6-10, 35-year-old big man who was teammates with Doncic for 6 ½ seasons in Dallas,” wrote Khobi Price. “Notably, Powell has played the most games as a teammate alongside Doncic (389) among the 98 players Doncic has played alongside in his eight-year NBA career.”

The Lakers have been considering another move for a while now, but they don’t have many assets to spare. That’s why, at this point, the free agent market is the best place where they can find their ideal role player on a minimum salary.

With 16 total players on the roster, the Lakers would need to make room to add Powell, but there are several ways they could do it without breaking up their current core. One option is to straight up release players like Dalton Knecht or Bronny James. Alternatively, they could trade for someone like Jaden Hardy and/or Jake LaRavia in exchange for picks. The question is, is Powell the right man to pursue?

Powell, while not a blockbuster addition, would make a decent fit in more ways than one, and he’s arguably the best player still left on the open market. The 6’10” center has 12 years of experience in the NBA, during which he proved himself as a versatile backup center option. Over his career, the 35-year-old averages 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 60.6% shooting from the field.

After losing Anthony Davis, the Lakers have been vulnerable in the frontcourt, but they added guys like Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney to help provide that crucial paint presence. But without a reliable backup option, they could be in trouble if one of the bigs suffers some kind of injury or setback. Powell, while not a blockbuster addition, would make a fine fit in more ways than one.

In Los Angeles, Powell would not play a massive role, but he would help by adding depth, versatility, and a defensive-minded skill set to the rotation. Best of all, coming from the Mavericks, he already has experience playing with Luka Doncic, simplifying the transition and ensuring he won’t clash with their pre-established roster.

Ultimately, only time will tell what the Lakers decide to do, but inaction is also a possibility. After so many roster changes over such a short period, GM Rob Pelinka wants to see what he has before making any serious judgments about this group. Where Powell falls into this picture remains to be seen, but he isn’t the worst player Pelinka could add this summer.