With the signing of Andre Drummond, the Los Angeles Lakers just gained their starting center for the rest of the campaign. Drummond will likely be the starter immediately, meaning that there are fewer minutes for a veteran like Marc Gasol. The Los Angeles Lakers already have two solid centers in Andre Drummond and Montrezl Harrell filling the center spots, leading to a crowded frontcourt rotation.
Recently, an article by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report suggested that Marc Gasol could end up getting bought out. Fischer talks about how there is speculation from rival executives on the matter and explains why the Lakers would buy him out.
As much as Marc Gasol’s subpar contributions helped lead Los Angeles to pursue Drummond, Gasol remains under contract. There remains some speculation from rival executives that he could now come to a buyout agreement with the Lakers.
Harrell already plays an energizer-rebounding role. Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma are typically maximized at the 4 spot. “When they get fully healthy, it’s gonna be a logjam,” said one assistant general manager.
But as Cleveland officials can attest, Drummond maintained a keen interest in getting back on the court and seeing a large quantity of minutes. “Drummond wants to play right away,” said one executive with knowledge of the situation.
The Lakers are in dire need of Drummond’s offensive output as James and Davis linger on the sidelines, and he’s prepared to log 30 minutes per night, even after missing over a month of live game action. “His timing might be a little off, but he keeps himself in really good shape,” said the aforementioned exec.
It seems as though Andre Drummond is ready to immediately contribute, and even log full-minutes every night. As mentioned before, the more minutes there are for Drummond, the less there are for Gasol. The Lakers could simply part with the veteran in order to free up a roster spot. Gasol would then be free to sign somewhere else, perhaps another contender. Marc Gasol currently remains on the Lakers’ roster, although that situation may change in the future.
