The Los Angeles Lakers want to upgrade via the center position this offseason, and Nikola Vucevic might have emerged as the best option. This season featured the Boston Celtics acquiring Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls to boost their playoff chances. Injuries ended up causing Vucevic to miss the final weeks of the season, and he never got the full trust of the Celtics coaching staff again during the one series before elimination.
Recent reports indicate that Boston will move on to make Vucevic a free agent on the move. Fadeaway World named the Los Angeles Lakers as a realistic option for the big man:
“Vucevic has proven himself as a solid offensive player in pick-and-roll as well as pick-and-pop sets. While he doesn’t inspire much as a lob threat, should the Lakers choose to bring him off the bench to boost the scoring, L.A. may get real value in limited minutes.
The Lakers are also a more realistic destination than the others because of the ample cap space going into the offseason. With nearly $60 million at their disposal, the Purple and Gold find themselves in a favorable position if they are to enter a bidding war for Vucevic.”
The Lakers currently possessing the most cap space of any team interested in centers, and Vucevic needing an ideal situation could make for the perfect marriage. The former All-Star getting older means he must share center minutes to warrant keeping either DeAndre Ayton or Jaxson Hayes.
How Nikola Vucevic Helps The Lakers
Ayton was supposed to be the Lakers’ answer at the starting center position entering this past season. However, lackluster results and head coach JJ Redick having to bench Ayton in pivotal moments showed little faith in him continuing to play this role.
Hayes did a solid job as the reserve center, but he’s never been viewed as a credible starting center in the NBA. Vucevic making multiple All-Star teams and having fifteen years of NBA experience provides an upgrade over Ayton at the very least.
The Lakers would get a big man with reliable rebounding and outside shooting. Open shots will come from sharing the court with names like Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves if Vucevic ends up on the roster.
Other Teams Interested In Nikola Vucevic
The Lakers have a lot of cap space, but they also have to pay big money to keep talents like James and Reaves. Other noteworthy free agents Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, and Marcus Smart could also eat into their spending money.
Vucevic could be viewed as not worth the money if they are limited in the number of new players they can add. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Detroit Pistons were named with the Lakers in the same article.
Other teams could view Vucevic as more important, and the Lakers can look other big men with more youth or upside. Regardless, it is a good sign for Lakers fans that the team is already rumored to be involved in both keeping established talent and upgrading their flaws via free agency.
Lakers Reportedly Interested In Free Agent Center Nikola Vucevic