Los Angeles Lakers: A deadline trade for a center is in play
By Jason Reed
Despite going through a pretty drastic overhaul, the Los Angeles Lakers are still below average at center. With the current landscape, a trade may be coming.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a completely different outlook now than the team had coming into the offseason just a month ago. Adding LeBron James was obviously a huge move, the ensuing moves have also created a different dynamic in LA.
Instead of going the route of a second superstar, mostly because Paul George decided to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs were stingy with Kawhi Leonard, the Lakers decided to add veteran bench pieces on one-year deals.
Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are among those with one-year deals heading into the season. Julius Randle and Brook Lopez are the two most significant losses for the team.
Perhaps the Lakers were banking on Lopez re-signing because the team currently looks very weak in the center department. McGee and Ivica Zubac are set to eat the majority of the minutes there, with LeBron and rookie Moritz Wagner also potentially seeing time at the position.
While that is not terrible, it certainly is not the best outlook for a team that is looking to contend for a title.
However, with the lack of many great centers on the market next offseason and the team’s many one-year deals, the door swings wide open for a potential deadline trade for a quality center this season.
If the Lakers are going to make any trade, this will be the most likely. Thus, we have compiled three centers that the Los Angeles Lakers may look to acquire this season.