The Los Angeles Lakers could still look for further frontcourt depth. There is no banking on Walker Kessler to play heavy minutes in a huge number of games as a 7-foot star.
They did add veteran Kevon Looney and new addition Sandro Mamukelashvili has been speculated to play some backup minutes at the center spot. However, the front office may ideally want more depth.
One name that has been speculated as a player of interest is Chicago Bulls forward and center Jalen Smith. The fit on paper looks ideal as he is a stretch option and in his peak years. However, the situation in Chicago may not be straightforward.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Elias Schuster, the latest injury to Bulls starting center Nic Claxton may have opened doors for a possible target to feature.
“Having said that, all signs point toward Jalen Smith hearing his name called,” Schuster wrote. “While Zach Collins is also back in the mix this season, he came into training camp rehabbing a quad injury”
Claxton’s injury is not deemed to be long term as it is a hamstring problem. He is expected to miss the preseason, as his evaluation is in two weeks. Pending the grade of hamstring tear, he could miss the season opener as well. But he will be back and they will have to make the decision on keeping their backup pieces like Smith amid interest.
Lakers Get Change on Jalen Smith Trade Status
Looney as the depth to Kessler isn’t a bad choice. The veteran is a three-time NBA champion but his form in recent years has not been convincing enough to raise confidence. He is a backup, which doesn’t set off too much alarm but he is the only like-for-like backup option.
There aren’t many affordable options for the Lakers to look into which makes the Smith speculations likely worth the while. Even with Claxton’s situation, Chicago isn’t short of pieces that can fill in in his absence.
“Tobe Awaka and Orlando Robinson are two other bigs currently on the training camp roster,” Schuster added. “Awaka is signed to a two-way contract and played plenty of center for the Bulls in Summer League.”
Of course, none of them offers Claxton’s input but seeing that his injury isn’t going to keep him out for long, there wouldn’t be any need to pass on the chance of gaining flexibility by trading Smith. The 26-year-old forward/center will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Smith joined the Bulls from the Indiana Pacers, and his role as a backup piece didn’t change very much. His minutes did improve from last season which culminated in a double-digit point average in a full season for the first time in his career.
Is Smith Worth a Trade?
Smith is not an expensive target should the Lakers key in. He is on an expiring deal worth around $9.4 million, and the Lakers can move two low-earning pieces to match his salary; players like Dalton Knecht, who has been reportedly linked to a move out and Jaden Hardy, who was only added this summer.
Moving a couple of pieces for one addition will enable the Lakers to get the required roster number as they currently have 16 standard contracted players.
Smith is an interesting target because he can fit right into the team. He shot 37.3 percent from 3 last season with a career-high 4.2 attempts per game. He can help space the floor and also offer another versatile quality in multiple positions.
Lakers Get Major Change on $27M Top Trade Target After Sudden Injury News