Getty LeBron James & Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of their first three-game losing streak of the season with the last two coming against teams with losing records. It’s clear that Anthony Davis’ injury has hurt the team more than expected. They’ve got a hole in their frontcourt and Kyle Kuzma, Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell haven’t been able to fill it.
Last year, some of the Lakers’ biggest strengths were the size and athletism in the frontcourt. Now it’s arguably among their biggest weaknesses with Davis out. Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins believes the Lakers are in trouble and need to fix some issues.
“This is where they miss JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard — a shot-blocker,” Perkins said on ESPN’s Get Up. “The Wizards got whatever they wanted last night in the paint, they got to the free-throw line. [The Lakers] need to get them another athletic big.”
.@KendrickPerkins thinks the Lakers are in trouble and should consider trading for a player like Andre Drummond.
Perkins mentioned that Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond could be the answer to their problems. Drummond is likely to get let go by the Cavaliers in the coming months and there should be plenty of interest in him.
ALL the latest Los Angeles Lakers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lakers newsletter here!
Will Lakers Target Drummond?
Though Drummond isn’t a superstar, he’s an elite rebounder and is capable of scoring a lot of points. However, he’s certainly a throwback type player. He’s not about to start raining 3s on opposing defenses.
Adding Drummond to the Lakers certainly wouldn’t hurt the team but it’s hard to see how much he’d help them in the long run. He would probably force Marc Gasol to the bench but it’s not a given that he’d be a big upgrade for the current starter. Also, the Lakers simply don’t have the trade assets or money to get Drummond to Los Angeles.
Other Possible Center Targets
As Perkins pointed out previously, the Lakers do lack athleticism with their bigs. Gasol is obviously past his prime and was never much of an athlete, to begin with. Montrezl Harrell is still young and athletic but he’s very small for a center. Last year, the Lakers had JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard. Both men are very tall and athletic. The team switched things up this season and it hasn’t worked out all that well.
Out of all the Lakers’ needs, they probably should focus on adding a strong 3-point shooter but could also want a big. There was talk that the team could be interested in a reunion with DeMarcus Cousins. However, that doesn’t sound like it’s going to happen based on a recent report. Perhaps the Lakers would welcome McGee back if he becomes available. Los Angeles would have to hope that the Cavaliers are willing to let McGee and Drummond go. Blake Griffin has also been mentioned as a possible fit but it’s hard to imagine that the Lakers have the funds to afford him. With cap space limited, the team has to hope that a ring chasing player will come over on a discount.
READ NEXT: Ex-Lakers Starter Asked to Be Let Go When LeBron James Joined Team: Report