In recent discussions regarding potential personnel moves, the Los Angeles Lakers explored the prospect of acquiring center Onyeka Okongwu from the Atlanta Hawks before the February trade deadline. During an appearance on the Straight Fire podcast, ESPN's Dave McMenamin revealed that the Lakers 'made a call' to the Hawks regarding Okongwu. This inquiry occurred prior to the Lakers' initial attempt to trade for Mark Williams of the Charlotte Hornets, a deal that was ultimately rescinded before formal announcement.

Okongwu's skill set aligns with the type of player that Luka Dončić has successfully partnered with in the past. Standing at 6'10", the former USC standout presents a formidable lob threat and possesses notable defensive abilities in the paint. While perhaps not the star player that some Lakers fans envisioned, Okongwu could have addressed the substantial gap at center that was evident during the playoffs, particularly in the matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Additionally, Okongwu's age, as he will not turn 25 until December, correlates well with the Lakers' current direction, particularly with Dončić now viewed as the franchise's cornerstone.

The Hawks, who have made Okongwu their starting center since January, likely had little interest in entertaining trade discussions, especially given their own strategic quandary as they assess their future direction. Having faced playoff absences in the past two seasons and not surpassing 43 wins since the 2015-16 season, the Hawks might consider a short-term rebuilding phase. In such a scenario, Okongwu emerges as one of their most valuable assets due to his youth, contract affordability, and demonstrated improvement, which included career highs in scoring (13.9), rebounding (8.9), and assists (2.3) per game over 74 appearances this season. As the offseason approaches, the Lakers are expected to actively seek a new starting center, particularly considering that Jaxson Hayes, who primarily filled that role, struggled in the postseason, logging only 30 minutes across four games against Minnesota.