Getty Bismack Biyombo defending Blake Griffin.
With free agency winding down, the Los Angeles Lakers roster has mostly taken shape. However, they still have a few roster spots open. At this point, the team isn’t likely to add rotational players but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add some solid depth.
The Lakers could be waiting to see what they have in Summer League before they fill the last three roster spots but there’s no guarantee those spots are reserved for younger players. It’s possible the team would like more veteran help. There are still some intriguing options in free agency.
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes that Bismack Biyombo could be just what the Lakers need:
Another legitimate 5 to go to, particularly one who specializes in defense, makes sense.
Bismack Biyombo has never even sniffed an above-average offensive box plus/minus (BPM is “a basketball box score-based metric that estimates a basketball player’s contribution to the team when that player is on the court, according to Basketball Reference), but the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn’t need him to do much on offense anyway.
For 10-15 minutes every few games, Biyombo is worth a minimum.
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Adding an Athletic Big Could Be Good Idea
At center, the Lakers currently have Marc Gasol and Dwight Howard. There’s been talk of Anthony Davis playing more center but it’s doubtful he commits to that full time. Gasol is 36 and Howard is 35 so the team is set to be very old at the position. Biyombo is only 28, which would bring a lot of youth to the position.
As Bailey noted, the Lakers don’t need a lot of offense from their starting center. Biyombo brings close to no threat on offense but is a strong defender. He’s also a good athlete and averages 1.3 blocks a game throughout his career.
Lakers Not Concerned About Age
The Lakers’ age heading into the season has already become a major talking point and will continue to be one. The team is old and. isn’t likely to get much younger. While many in the media are question the roster’s age, the players don’t appear concerned. LeBron James already called out the notion that the team is too old. Carmelo Anthony has also stated that it’s not a big deal.
“We don’t care,” Anthony said Monday. “We don’t care. We make our own narrative.
“I like when people talk about the age. It gives a better story. I think it gives a better story. I think people forget, at the end of the day, it’s about basketball. You got to know how to play basketball. You got to have that experience. I think that’s what we bring at this point and time. Our talent, our skill, but also our experience.”
It looks like the Lakers are looking to use the conversation surrounding the team’s age as a source of motivation. There’s no doubt there’s a ton of talent on the roster but the concern will regarding if everybody can stay healthy.
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