Getty Rob Pelinka & Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers roster is shaping up with 13 players currently under contract. The team is able to carry 15 into the regular season but could keep a roster spot available as they’ve done in recent years. However, that means at least one more player is likely to be brought on.
Based on what Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is saying during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada, it’s sounding like the 14th roster spot is going to be reserved for a center.
“Yeah, so we have 13 guys signed and we are actively in the market to add another big,” Pelinka said on July 9, via Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group. “Coach and I have talked a little bit with Anthony [Davis] in the offseason about more minutes of some of the 2020 success we had where Anthony got to play with a big and I think adding Jaxson Hayes was key to that.
“I think Jaxson, much like maybe Dwight Howard in that stretch for us, is a big body, rim protector, active roller. When you have on-ball guys like D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, having someone who is willing to sacrifice their body and set a screen is important and I think Jaxson is gonna big there. But we are looking to add an additional center as well.”
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka says the team are actively looking for another big to add to the roster:
Who Could the Los Angeles Lakers Sign?
As Rob Pelinka noted, the Lakers signed Jaxson Hayes on July 1 at the start of NBA free agency. However, Hayes and Anthony Davis are the only players on the roster who are 6-foot-10 or taller. Considering Davis’ injury history (he missed 26 games last season), the Lakers will need more depth at center and power forward.
According to a July 9 report from The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, Los Angeles is considering free agent centers Christian Wood and Bismack Biyombo.
“Centers Christian Wood and Bismack Biyombo are in consideration for that 14th roster spot, according to team sources not authorized to speak publicly on the matter,” Buha wrote. “The Lakers had interest in Dario Saric before he signed with the Golden State Warriors earlier this week, those sources said. Pelinka clarified that Los Angeles is hoping to find a player that is different than Hayes from a skill-set perspective.”
Wood was with the Dallas Mavericks last season where he played in 67 games, starting 17. Biyombo played in 61 games for Phoenix Suns last season, starting 14.
Rob Pelinka Wants to ‘Diversify’ Center Position
Jaxson Hayes isn’t a big-time scorer or shot blocker. He has scored 7.5 points a game over his career and only gotten 0.7 blocks on average. However, he’s very athletic and at 23 years old should bring some youthful energy to the team. Rob Pelinka wants to make sure that if he does sign another center, they bring a different skill set than Hayes.
“I think dimensionalizing the skills at that position will be important so we don’t wanna sign someone who replicates the skills that Jaxson Hayes has,” Pelinka said. “So if we can diversify the big position and have different looks that would be good.”
Christian Wood and Bismack Biyombo are certainly different options than Hayes. Wood is 27 and averages 14.8 points a game over his career, but doesn’t bring much on the defensive side of the court. Biyombo isn’t much of a scorer at 5.1 points a game but can protect the rim and averaged 1.3 blocks a game.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka says “dimensionalizing” the skills at the center position will be a priority as the team searches for another big