Daniel Gafford, Cam Johnson among players Lakers should consider trading for

The NBA Finals matchup between the Spurs and Knicks may be the main focus for collective NBA observers. But in the background, teams throughout the league are working toward improving for the 2026-27 season. 

Predraft workouts have been taking place for nearly a month ahead of the NBA draft in two weeks — which typically sparks league-wide player movement. The start of free agency is just three weeks away. 

Within 1 ½ months, most teams should have a firm idea of what their roster will look like to start 2026-27. 

But last year, when the Magic acquired Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies in mid-June 2025, showed how teams are constantly working to improve their team. And that they may not be willing to wait until the Finals officially end to make the moves they need.

Trades are the main sources for roster improvement.

And also one of the most complicated, with it taking at least two teams (and sometimes more) needing to partner on a deal. That’s without even factoring in the players involved, their representatives and all of the minutia it takes to get a deal done. 

It’s been nearly four years since the Lakers made a trade during the offseason: When they acquired Patrick Beverley from the Jazz for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson in August 2022. 

But the Lakers’ goal of building a more ideal roster around superstar Luka Doncic may cause that drought to end. 

Here are a few potential trade targets for the Lakers:

Daniel Gafford, Mavericks, center, 27

2025-26 stats: 9.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 1.1 APG, 21.7 MPG

Contract: Three years, $54.4 million. 2026-27: $17.3 million; 2027-28: $18.1 million; 2028-29: $18.9 million 

The Lakers need a starting center who fits better alongside Doncic than Deandre Ayton.

Who better to fill that role than one of the primary big men Doncic played alongside in Dallas during the Mavericks’ run to the 2024 NBA Finals? 

Gafford rebounds, finishes at the rim and proetcts the basket all at high levels – the type of rim-protecting/rim-running lob threat Doncic thrives alongside. 

And his contract for the next three seasons is fair value for a starting center, though he hasn’t historically played starter minutes, averaging at least 24 minutes for a season just once in his career.  

The obvious complication: Would the Mavericks be willing to trade with the Lakers again and help Doncic after widely being panned for trading the superstar guard to Los Angeles less than 1 ½ years ago?  

Cam Johnson, Nuggets, forward, 30

2025-26 stats: 12.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 30.5 MPG

Contract: One year, $23.1 million. 2026-27: $23.1 million.

Depending on the contract for restricted free agent and former UCLA star forward Peyton Watson – who should also be an offseason target for the Lakers – Johnson’s expected to be available in a trade if Denver looks to avoid going over the second apron and save on luxury tax spending. 

The Lakers could use this to their advantage – a team trying to trade a good player under the cap system, a part of the “optionality” president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka has spoken about. 

Johnson shot a career-high 43% on 3-pointers in his first season with the Nuggets after shooting 39.2% from beyond the arc in the first six seasons of his career.

He could start or come off of the bench depending on the rest of the Lakers’ roster. And be a good player to have depending on what happens with Rui Hachimura’s free agency. 

Aaron Wiggins, Thunder, forward, 27

2025-26 stats: 9.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 21.8 MPG

Contract: Three years, $25.4 million. 2026-27: $9 million; 2027-28: $8.2 million; 2028-29: team option for $8.2 million

The Thunder could be in a similar position as the Nuggets when it comes to looking to shed salary to limit their luxury tax bill as the contract extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren kick in next season. 

And with two first-round picks in the draft (Nos. 12 and 17) in addition to multiple young players on rookie scale deals (Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber) looking to have bigger roles in 2026-27, it could put the Thunder in a position where they look to send out a player or two. 

Wiggins and Isaiah Joe would be among the top candidates for the Thunder to trade, both of whom have had important roles for the Thunder in the past but weren’t in OKC’s playoff rotation this spring. 

Wiggins has shot 38% on 3-pointers through five seasons, including 37.1% over the last two seasons on good volume (4.3 attempts per game) for a bench player. He could be a solid 3-and-D option off of the Lakers’ bench. 

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