The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves mired in a mediocre season after 26 games, standing at 14-12 in 10th place in the Western Conference, which would give the franchise that just four years ago won its 17th NBA championship the fourth and final play-in spot. Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson said on Sirius XM Thursday that the team needs “one more player if you’re going to contend in the West,” specifically, a third scorer alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis who can pour in 20 points per game on a consistent basis.
But the team itself believes it needs more than that, according to one Lakers insider journalist. Jovan Buha, senior writer for The Athletic covering the Lakers reported this week that the Los Angeles front office has identified three major needs — but tops on that list is “a tough, physical, defensive-minded center.”
A player fitting that description would be intended to make sure the Lakers do not suffer a lapse in paint defense when Anthony Davis is on the bench.
A Former Celtics Favorite is on Lakers Trade Radar
The name often linked to the Lakers to fill that need has been Washington Wizards big man Jonas Valančiūnas, a 13-year veteran currently in the first year of a three-year, $30.3 million contract with the team that at 3-21 is proving to be the NBA’s worst by a considerable margin.
But there is another defensive center — in fact one who in his healthiest season placed seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting — who according to Yahoo! Sports Senior NBA Insider Jake Fischer “stands as perhaps the most coveted center on this season’s trade market… another player on the Lakers’ wish list of bigs and renowned for his defensive presence.”
Acquiring that center would have the added bonus for the Lakers of getting under the skin of their cross-country arch-rival the Boston Celtics, because this player until Boston traded him away a year ago was a fan favorite at TD Garden and one of the most popular players of the Celtics’ current era.
According to Fischer, that player is 6’9″ center Robert Williams III, who was Boston’s first-round draft pick, 27th overall, in 2018. Williams has battled knee injuries over the last several years. His most injury-free season was 2021-2022 when the Celtics got to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010, only to lose in six games to the Golden State Warriors.
In that season, Williams played in 61 games and started them all, the only season of his career in which he started every game he played. He averaged 2.2 blocked shots and 9.6 rebounds per game.
Williams’ Contract Set to Expire Next Season
Before the 2023-2024 season, the Celtics sent Williams to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the deal that brought two-time All Star point guard Jrue Holiday to Boston. But Williams missed all but six of Portland’s contests that season. This year, Williams appears on the road to recovery and has already played in eight games, averaging 18.5 minutes, 1.6 blocks and 5.6 rebounds.
On the third year of a four-year, $48 million contract, Williams represents less of a financial commitment for the Lakers, and could act “as a backup behind five-time All-NBA big man Anthony Davis, but perhaps also to occasionally play alongside him,” according to an SI.com report.
Buha also mentioned Williams as a player under consideraton by the Lakers.
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Lakers Predicted to Add $48 Million Celtics Former Fan Favorite as AD Insurance