Lakers Trade Rumors: Rob Pelinka considering Knicks' $60M center as LeBron James and Co. seek frontcourt reinforcement after trading AD

The LA Lakers are reportedly on the hunt for a center after shipping superstar big man Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks over the weekend. According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, the New York Knicks' Mitchell Robinson is among LA's top trade targets.

On Sunday, the Lakers shook up their roster by flipping Davis for superstar guard Luka Doncic in a three-team deal involving the Utah Jazz. While they were widely hailed for the move, which landed them arguably a top-three player, it left them shallow at the five.

Before the trade, Davis had been pressuring LA to acquire a proven center, as he was their lone reliable big man. Following the blockbuster deal, the franchise is left with reserves Jaxson Hayes, Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III as their primary center options.

As expected, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is aggressively searching for a frontcourt reinforcement ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline. On Sunday's edition of "The Kevin O'Connor Show," O'Connor named Robinson as a realistic possibility.

"League sources say the Lakers are looking for a big man, and Mitchell Robinson from the New York Knicks is one of the bigs they are targeting," O'Connor said.

Robinson has yet to suit up this season as he recovers from offseason left ankle surgery. However, he appears to be nearing a return after being "cleared for contact activities" on Monday.

When healthy, Robinson has proven to be a dependable lob threat, rebounder and rim protector for competitive Knicks squads. Thus, he could be a strong fit alongside the playmaking of Doncic and his new co-star, LeBron James.

However, the seventh-year big man is in the third year of a four-year, $60 million contract. So, given his extensive injury history, he could come with risk.

Across 31 outings last season, Robinson averaged 5.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, shooting 57.5%.

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Knicks "open to moving" Mitchell Robinson amid Lakers' reported interest

According to The Athletic's James L. Edwards III's Thursday report, the Knicks are "open to moving the oft-injured" Mitchell Robinson.

However, Edwards noted that the franchise is unwilling to "attach (draft) picks just to move off Robinson" and is also "checking in on the backup big-man market."

Thus, with the Lakers and Knicks both reportedly coveting center depth, the aspiring NBA title contenders may not be ideal trade partners.

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