The Los Angeles Lakers signed Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney to fill the center position this season, but the team is still reportedly searching for a trade to add a backup big man to the lineup.
The Lakers could go after a few players in particular, but with the lack of top targets available, as well as the team’s limited movable assets, Los Angeles is in a tough position to find any true replacement if Kessler’s troubling injury history continues.
The team made an effort to add a star center and shooting wings this offseason, but failed to find someone to take on the Jaxson Hayes backup big man role, which could prove to be a major foresight heading into the new season.
Lakers Handed Back News On Backup Center Targets
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Svyatoslav Rovenchuck discussed how, regardless of how interested the Lakers might be in trading for a backup center behind Kessler, there’s not a ton available on the market right now.
“There is still desire to see Los Angeles have someone to utilize ahead of Looney for the matchups that either call for more size down low, or Kessler is missing time due to injury,” he wrote. “If Rob Pelinka is looking for that extra guy in the near future, it will not be found amid a coming flurry of releases across the NBA.”
Like Los Angeles, many teams around the league are facing a roster crunch. But as Rovenchuck mentioned, there’s no guarantee any top targets immediately change the ceiling of this roster.
“Drew Eubanks, James Wiseman, and Jericho Sims were the main guys who came up in the discussion of centers who could soon be available. None of them are really worth going through the trouble of making that extra cut. The Lakers will need alternative means for external help.”
The Lakers were previously linked to Jalen Smith of the Chicago Bulls, but even he might be too expensive for Los Angeles in a trade. Other names available likely wouldn’t be worth waiving another player just for the chance at making a ‘lateral move.’
“Upgrading the position is the goal, not a lateral move to someone who has a different skill set around the same level as Looney. That is not worth sacrificing a more talented player on the team,” he added. “A consolidation trade would be the best hope of the Lakers finding a way to meaningfully upgrade the spot. Without it, the names about to hit free agency are not needle-movers who are worth the effort and sacrifice.”
Los Angeles Clearly Needs Another Big Man Behind Kessler
Though Los Angeles brought in Looney as a veteran free agent, he isn’t going to be a solid enough replacement if Kessler goes down with another injury. The former Utah Jazz center has a bad recent health history and is currently dealing with a finger injury that has kept him out of preseason action so far.
“What do the Los Angeles Lakers look like when Walker Kessler is not holding down the fort at center?” Rovenchuk asked in a separate article. “Having added flexibility in the form of one more body for the frontcourt would not hurt. Searching for that much before the regular season starts should be a given, considering the Lakers still need to make some sort of move to finalize the roster in any case.”
The Lakers brought in Sandro Mamukelashvili, but having someone like Hayes last season, or the bigs Luka Doncic played with in Dallas, would be the better archetype for a player they should go out and target.
As NBA insider Brett Siegel recently reported, Los Angeles is hopeful to find another big man before the season begins.
“The Lakers could definitely use another big man on their bench, preferably someone who could stretch the floor, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see Pelinka move players like Knecht and Hardy in a deal, possibly even with a second-round pick, to beef up the frontcourt with a player he pinpoints,” he wrote.
However, despite that being the right move, the market doesn’t have anyone for the Lakers to go after. Jaden Hardy and Dalton Knecht also have very low value around the league, so packaging them and a second-round pick likely wouldn’t bring in a strong enough upgrade at the center position.
Still, it appears the Lakers are stuck. They want to make a deal, but likely can’t. Spending a ton of money this summer on Kessler and other mid-level wings might not have been the right move, as without a solid backup center, it could be a major cause for concern down the road.
Lakers Handed Bad News On Backup Center Targets Behind Walker Kessler