The Los Angeles Lakers are 5-5 after their defeat against the Portland Trail Blazers, and there’s no doubt that this isn’t the start that many thought the Lakers would have after they traded for Russell Westbrook this summer.
It is possible that some additions/changes to the team could help the Los Angeles Lakers get back on track. Jason Reed of Lake Show Life suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers could sign Kevin Love were he to reach a buyout agreement with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Reed stated the floor spacing that Kevin Love would be helpful for Antony Davis, as it would allow him to “operate near the rim when necessary”.
It has become clear (if it wasn’t already) that the Lakers are at their best when Anthony Davis is playing the five. However, Davis is non-committal to playing center full-time, forcing the Lakers to go out and get the likes of Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan.
Neither Howard nor Jordan have been all that great this year and the less that the team can play them when the games matter the better. Love would help accomplish that. The Lakers could play a frontcourt of Davis and Love without sacrificing any real floor spacing as both Davis and Love can stretch the floor.
You can label either player as the center and it does not really matter. Both guys are interchangeable as a four or a five but since Love can stretch the floor it allows Davis to operate near the rim when necessary.
Love has one more year on his contract after this season but a two-year buyout is not impossible, just look at Blake Griffin. Love is coming off the bench and only playing 20 minutes per game for Cleveland. It makes more sense for them to save some money as no team is going to trade for that contract.
On top of the benefits that Kevin Love would provide Anthony Davis, the increased spacing he’d provide would help Russell Westbrook and LeBron James as well. Westbrook and James are very proficient near the rim and another shooter on the floor would definitely help them lead the offense better.
It remains to be seen if Kevin Love does end up getting a buyout from the Cleveland Cavaliers, but in August, agent Jeff Schwartz stated that “no talks” have happened on that front between Love and the Cavaliers. Perhaps that could change in the future, and if a buyout does happen, Love would become a great option for the Los Angeles Lakers.
