NBA Trade Rumors: 6 Realistic targets Lakers should prioritize after uneven start

Zach Collins, San Antonio Spurs

Looking across the league, there may not be a great list of potential starting centers that the Los Angeles Lakers could trade for. However, there's one name in San Antonio that I believe could make at least some sense for Los Angeles. That's Zach Collins. No longer a full-time starter for the Spurs and in the midst of his least productive start throughout his time in San Antonio, Collins could be a name that suddenly becomes available closer to the NBA Trade Deadline. Averaging less than 15 minutes per game, Collins could be ready for a fresh start at this point in his career.

With Victor Wembanyama looking like the next face of the league, it doesn't make much sense for the Spurs to keep Collins around. He played his role last season with the Spurs next to Wemby and it does appear as if San Antonio may be ready to move on from the 26-year-old center. If that does end up being the case, the Lakers, who are looking for a center who can start on occasion, are certainly a team to watch. The big concern would be the theoretical asking price from the Spurs. But if it is reasonable, perhaps there's a deal to be made.

If the Lakers were able to pull off a move for Collins, he could emerge as a starter next to Anthony Davis or could even come off the bench. Just last season with the Lakers, Collins averaged 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent shooting from 3-point range. As his role on the Spurs has decreased, so has his production. However, Collins still has the potential to be a productive player for a team. Perhaps that could be the Lakers.

While Collins could very much emerge as a legit option for the Lakers leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline, if there's one hurdle that could stand in the way of it all coming together, it's potentially the risk that comes with his injury history. Over the course of his career, Collins has been subjected to the injury bug several times early on in his career. The good news is that it appears that is probably behind him at this point. But that doesn't mean it still won't be in the back of the mind of any team looking to acquire him at the deadline.