With reports brewing over free agents the Los Angeles Lakers could pursue this offseason—including comments from Luka Doncic that make the blueprint clear as day—the purple and gold have their work cut out for them over the next few months. One NBC Sports analyst offered up three bigs who can satisfy the team’s need for frontcourt depth, including a new but familiar name who has also called LA home: John Collins.
Analyst Highlights Versatile Veteran as Ideal Lakers Target
In a Thursday segment breaking down the potential best free agent fits for LA, NBC Sports’ Grant Liffman brought up Collins as someone who’s flown “under the radar,” adding:
“He’s not the same player he used to be. He’s not this high-flyer, not-really-much-of-a-team-guy. … He actually fits well into team dynamics now and plays a role. He’s a lob threat, of course, for someone like Luka, and Luka could always use a lob threat. But he’s a good help-side rim defender as well. He’s really become a solid defensive player. Finally, he shot 40% from three the last three seasons. A little floor-spacing always helps. I think John Collins could really fit well with this team out of the corner, doing all the things that they need to help them really shore up some of their defense—especially at the rim.”
John Collins comes out of nowhere and ERASES this dunk attempt! 😤 pic.twitter.com/7GM5W6qoyr
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 29, 2026
In 69 games (56 starts) for the LA Clippers, Collins averaged 13.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and an assist per game on .552/.406/.766 splits. Defensively, he averaged 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks, both roughly around his career averages (1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG). Known primarily for his poster dunks—both delivering and receiving them—Collins has diversified his game to become a legitimate perimeter threat, all while crashing the glass and protecting the rim.
For the Lakers, who have sorely needed defense, athleticism and floor spacing up front, Collins checks those boxes perfectly. In addition to his elite bounce and smooth jumper, his rock-solid rebounding would be critical for a team that ranked 27th in boards per game in the regular season (and 29th on the offensive glass).
Collins’ Value Entering Free Agency
Although the 28-year-old is coming off a $26.6 million player option at the end of a max contract, reports suggest that it wouldn’t cost the Lakers an arm and a leg to get him.
On a recent episode of the “Game Theory Podcast,” Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon concurred that Collins wouldn’t get anything more than the non-taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, which is projected to be around $15 million. Assuming the Lakers gain access to that after deciding on their own free agents, Collins should be a worthy target for that kind of payday, complementing the starting lineup or energizing the second unit.
Other Recent Lakers Targets Mentioned as Potential Fits
In addition to Collins, Liffman once again fanned the flames around Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams III, lumping them together as injury-prone bigs who could still help the Lakers’ defense.
“Both of them, when healthy—in their own styles, their different sizes and the way they play—they’re defensive anchors, and they do a lot of great things defensively. Can they get Mitchell Robinson? He’s going to be more expensive than Robert Williams. They will look at him.
“But Robert Williams, when healthy, fits this team to a tee, to exactly what they need on the back end. Very smart player, dynamic center that really people have lost sight of because of his injuries since his Boston days. … Those two guys, one of them could really solidify the starting center spot for [the Lakers].”
The reigning champion Robinson is coming off his healthiest campaign in years, playing 60 games (most since 2022-23) and stabilizing the Knicks’ defense behind Karl-Anthony Towns. The 7-footer averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as the Knicks’ sixth man this season. Though his minutes diminished slightly in the playoffs (from 19.6 to 13.9), he still put up 4.8 points and 5.5 rebounds on 67.3% shooting from the field.
Williams III, a longtime trade target for LA, also served as a modest backup for the Portland Trail Blazers, constantly holding his own with his 6’9”, 249-pound frame. In 59 games, Williams III put up 6.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting 70.8% from the field and—albeit on limited volume—39.1% from deep.
Elevating either of them to a starting role could bode well for Doncic and the Lakers, though their respective injury histories remain causes for concern.
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