NBA
Los Angeles Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Steven Adams Among Targets
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All posts by James FoglioUpdated31 mins ago on June 06, 2025
The Los Angeles Lakers enter the 2025 offseason in need of a durable big man. The Lakers tried to acquire Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams at the trade deadline to provide Luka Doncic with a lob threat and rim protector to fill the hole made by trading away Anthony Davis, but the trade was rescinded after a failed physical.
Lakers Pursuing Myles Turner, Steven Adams, And Brook Lopez
The Lakers now reportedly have their sights set on three players: Myles Turner, Steven Adams, and Brook Lopez. They do not have cap space to sign Turner, who inked a two-year, $40.9 million contract extension with the Indiana Pacers in January 2023. It was a renegotiation-and-extend deal.
However, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Los Angeles still has a 2031 first-round pick, five years of pick swaps, former first-round pick Dalton Knecht, and over $70 million in expiring contracts (Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, and Gabe Vincent) to use in a trade.
L.A. owes Utah a 2027 top-four protected first-round pick and Dallas an unprotected first in 2029. The Lakers are allowed to trade one first-round pick in either 2031 or 2032. They also have the right to swap firsts in five seasons (2026, 2028, 2030, 2031, and 2032) and have one second-round pick available to trade.
Turner, 29, averaged 15.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 30.2 minutes in 72 regular-season games (all starts) with Indiana this season. He also shot 48.1% from the field and 39.6% from 3-point range.
According to Basketball Reference, Turner finished third in blocks (144) in the NBA this season behind only San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama (176) and Milwaukee’s Lopez (148).
Steven Adams Averaged 5.7 Points, 1.1 Blocks In 2025 Playoffs
Although Adams is a solid free-agent candidate for the Lakers, the 6-foot-11 big man only appeared in 58 regular-season games (three starts) with the Houston Rockets this campaign.
Adams also missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a knee injury.
In 2024-25 with Houston, he averaged just 3.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 blocks, and 13.7 minutes while shooting 54.5% from the floor and 46.2% from the free throw line. His true shooting percentage (54.1%) also matched his career low from his rookie season.
But he played a larger role for Houston late in the year.
During the 2025 playoffs, Adams’ playing time increased to 22.1 minutes per game, and he even scored a season-high 17 points in Game 6 of Houston’s first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.
Adams averaged 5.7 points and 1.1 blocks in that seven-game series.
Rockets Want Adams To Re-Sign
The Rockets reportedly want Adams back. Team sources told The Athletic’s Kelly Iko that Adams is seen as “the clear priority” among its unrestricted free agents this offseason.
According to Iko, the Rockets “are operating under the assumption Adams wants to return — and will continue to speak with his representation about a possible extension.”
Meanwhile, the 37-year-old Lopez, is in the final season of a two-year, $48 million contract. The 2013 All-Star earned $25 million last season and made $23 million in 2024-25.
In 80 regular-season games (all starts) this campaign, he averaged 13 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 31.8 minutes per contest while shooting 50.9% from the field, 37.3% from deep, and 82.6% at the free throw line.
The Rockets will likely reach out to Lopez if Stevens leaves during free agency.
