It’s too late to make a trade this season, but the Los Angeles Lakers have not given up on their mission of bolstering their frontcourt around LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Following the blockbuster Doncic trade (that sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks), the Lakers are down a big man and ESPN’s Shams Charania says that it may not be long before they find one.
“I’m told the Lakers are pursuing multiple big men in the marketplace right now,” said Shams. “They know they need some size. Jaxson Hayes right now is the only positional center. I would expect the Lakers to move on a potential big man in the next 24-48 hours. Rob Pelinka and that front office are trying to acquire a center. Getting a big man there is the utmost priority right now.”
Of course, the Lakers had plans to acquire Hornets center Mark Williams in a trade for Dalton Kneht, Cam Reddish, a future draft pick, and a pick swap. At 7’0″, Williams is averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Hornets and he’s been one of their strongest interior defenders.
His size, youth, and athleticism would have made a perfect pairing next to Luka and he would have gotten plenty of easy looks just like Jaxson Hayes did during Luka’s debut on Monday.
But after the Lakers discovered multiple issues during Williams’ physical, they called off the trade at the last minute and sent Williams straight back to Charlotte. The Hornets are trying to dispute the rescinded trade but unless they win that argument, both teams will have to move forward as if the deal never happened.
Without a proper center, the Lakers are stuck using Jaxson Hayes for now but the search has already begun on the free-agent market. While their options are somewhat limited, the Lakers want a big who can dominate the boards and catch lobs from Luka while also defending the rim on the other end. Alex Len and Larry Nance Jr. (on a potential buyout) have been identified as early targets for the Lakers, but there are other names they might consider.
Mo Bamba is arguably the best name available for the Lakers. At 7’0, he can provide size and strength around the rim at 26 years old. This season, in 28 games for the Clippers, Bamba averaged 4.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game on 46.6% shooting.
If the Lakers prefer a veteran player, JaVale McGee is another viable option. At 37 years old, McGee couldn’t play a major role on the Lakers but he has enough experience and skill to make a difference in the frontcourt. In a rough free-agent market, McGee isn’t a bad choice if the Lakers want an experienced center right away.
There’s also 36-year-old Robin Lopez. He hasn’t played a game this season but if he has anything left in the tank, it could provide some value to a Lakers squad with a dangerously thin frontcourt. At 7’1″, he adds size under the rim and can enjoy easy looks with feeds from Luka Doncic.
Now that the trade deadline has passed and Mark Williams is off the table, the Lakers are extremely limited in which players they can add. And in a free-agent market that is already pretty weak, it’s not going to be easy for Rob Pelinka to find someone who can make a difference.
But between Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and head coach JJ Redick, whoever steps in as the starting center this season will be set up for success from the jump and it won’t take a lot to make it work with such gifted playmakers running the show.
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