The Los Angeles Lakers got swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals last season, and they are keen to avoid a repeat should the teams meet again this season. A player they believe would help them against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, as per a report, is Andre Drummond.
“The Lakers have also considered dealing for players who could address specific needs in a potential playoff matchup, such as Andre Drummond of the Bulls, in anticipation of a postseason rematch with the Denver Nuggets and their big front line of Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, sources said.”
The Lakers have considered trading for Andre Drummond to potentially matchup vs Nikola Jokic in the playoffs, per @mcten
“The Lakers have also considered dealing for players who could address specific needs in a potential playoff matchup, such as Andre Drummond of the Bulls, in… pic.twitter.com/0xOxVpM4mr
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 23, 2024
Drummond will be a free agent after this season, so the Chicago Bulls might be willing to let him go for pennies on the dollar. Now, the 30-year-old is obviously not a great defensive player by any means, but at least he is a big body to throw at Jokic. Also for me, the real value he brings to this potential series is his rebounding.
What somewhat gets forgotten about that series last year, is how that huge frontcourt for the Nuggets helped them have a significant advantage on the glass. Denver hauled in 42 offensive rebounds in that series in four games while the Lakers could only get 28. With how close those games were, you could argue that if you flipped those numbers, the Lakers might have emerged victorious.
Drummond, who averages 12.5 rebounds per game for his career, would help matters on the rebounding front. This season, in just 15.9 minutes per game, the two-time All-Star has averaged 7.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.
Just like basically every other big man in the league, Drummond has little to no chance of stopping Jokic, but his rebounding could certainly be a big help. Of course, for this to even happen, the Lakers have to get to the Nuggets, and with them being 22-23 on the season, that is far from certain.
Nikola Jokic Is Having Another Remarkable Season
Jokic might not win his third MVP in 2024, but he is still having a terrific season. The 28-year-old is averaging 26.2 points, 12.0 rebounds, 9.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 59.0% from the field.
There has been a lot of talk about how great the Minnesota Timberwolves (30-13) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (30-13) have been this season, but the Nuggets are right behind them with a 31-14 record. They have a great chance at once again securing the top seed in the West, and I believe are the clear favorites to get to the NBA Finals.
The Lakers Are Also Targeting A Former Nugget
The Lakers are reportedly also hoping to add a former Nugget to their ranks via trade. Adrian Wojnarowski says the Lakers are focused on acquiring Bruce Brown, who left the Nuggets in free agency this past offseason.
“From the time the Lakers lost to Denver in the Conference Finals last year, there’s been one player they’ve been focused on acquiring. Bruce Brown Jr…. There has been no shortage of teams reaching out to Toronto for Bruce Brown, he fits everywhere. The Lakers are among them. Continue to watch the Lakers with Bruce Brown to see if there’s a pathway.”
A player like Brown would be a great fit on almost every team as Wojnarowski said, so it won’t be easy at all for the Lakers to land him.
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