Many things can be debated about the Los Angeles Lakers. One thing cannot. And that’s their need for another big man.
The Lakers’ move for Walker Kessler has generated plenty of opinions ranging from positive to entirely negative. But regardless of where one stands on L.A.’s decision to surrender all that it did to acquire Kessler, what cannot be argued is that, for the Lakers to get the best out of their shiny new addition, they need someone to back him up. Right now, the Lakers are looking at the veteran Kevon Looney as the only other center on the roster. Yes, Looney is a multi-time champ. Yes, he’s battle-tested. But having him as the only other center on the roster? No bueno.
Lakers insider Khobi Price of the California Post reported recently that L.A.’s offseason business is just about done, but if the team was to make another move, “it’d likely be (to add) big man depth behind Kessler and Kevon Looney, who they signed to a veteran’s minimum contract.”
One Potential Center Target May Be Not Be an Option
There have been numerous big men linked to the Lakers this offseason. It is unclear whom the Lakers have on their radar right now, though The Athletic’s Dan Woike reported early in the offseason that Chicago’s Jalen Smith, Milwaukee’s Jericho Sims and New Orleans’ Karlo Matkovic are options the Lakers have kicked around. Speculation has linked the Lakers to players like Orlando’s Goga Bitadze, the 27-year-old center who memorably got into it with Luka Doncic late last season.
“I like Goga,” Lakers reporter Trevor Lane said in a recent episode of the Lakers Nation podcast. “Obviously, he had that run-in with Luka last year. Hopefully that wouldn’t be something that would be prohibitive of some kind of deal getting done.”
Bitadze averaged 5.9 points, 5.0 rebounds in 64 appearances for the Magic last season. The 6’11” big man could be a strong insurance policy option for the Lakers, and he is on a modest contract, which would make the machinations of a potential trade much simpler.
“Is it possible for the Lakers to get Goga Bitadze? Yes. Logistically, it’s not that difficult for them to make that kind of move,” Lane said in an earlier episode. “(He’ll make) $7.6 million, problem. Jaden Hardy, $6 million. And then whatever kind of draft capital we’re talking, off you go.”
L.A. Needs to Find a Kessler Backup
Because just how consistent can the Lakers expect their starting big man to be if he is shouldering a heavy minutes load and has no one to share the rebounds and blocked shots with?
The Lakers don’t have too many draft picks to throw around in a trade, but there are teams out there who could be open to moving a player the Lakers could immediately use. As Heavy NBA insider Sean Deveney reports, the Bulls could be one of those teams looking to trade a player, and L.A. wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone if it were Jalen Smith.
“We had Patrick Williams here in a previous version of this list, and it would be a symbolic flush of the old era for new GM Bryson Graham to dump Williams, but no one is taking on that three-year, $54 million deal,” Deveney reported. “There has been interest in Smith, and the Bulls could cash in on him as the season gets rolling and teams clearly have big man needs.”
With training camp less than two weeks away, it is almost that time of year again. Could the Lakers let things play out some before pulling the trigger on a trade? Perhaps a few preseason games will give them a complete scope of their frontcourt situation.
Lakers Trade Plans for $25M Center May Fail Due to Past Beef With Luka Doncic