Los Angeles Lakers: Joakim Noah is a good option for open roster spot

The Los Angeles Lakers made the second biggest move of the offseason on Sunday by agreeing on a buyout with veteran forward, Luol Deng.

When the Los Angeles Lakers signed LeBron James to a four-year deal and failed to land another star in either Paul George or Kawhi Leonard, the next biggest question was what the team was going to do with Luol Deng.

Deng signed a four-year, $72 million deal in the 2016 offseason that quickly turned sour. Deng only played in one game last season, which was the season opener. He finished the season with 13 total minutes played and two points.

Deng’s $36 million owed was dead cap space that the team needed to remove in order to bring in another star next summer. Trading Deng was always a possibility, however, his contract was so bad that it likely would have taken a top young star such as Brandon Ingram.

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On Sunday, the Lakers first made headlines as Deng agreed to give $7.5 million back to the Lakers. Shortly after that news broke, it was announced that Deng was bought out by the Lakers and will hit the free agent market.

This obviously has huge implications on next offseason and who the Lakers bring in. Los Angeles will have enough salary cap space for a max deal and then some in the $36-38 million range.

However, there are instant implications as well as buying out Deng opens up a roster spot for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team has obvious needs heading into the season and currently has no plan for that open roster spot.

The Los Angeles Lakers biggest need for that open roster spot is easily at the center position. Right now, the Lakers have JaVale McGee, Ivica Zubac and potentially Moritz Wagner sharing time at the center position. LeBron James will also likely see time at center as well.

That is a thin group of guys that could be decent at best but also has the potential to be one of the least efficient in the league. The problem is, though, that the free agent market for centers is virtually non-existent and the Lakers would only be adding another mediocre player to take minutes.

If there is a buyout in the near future with a center that can still produce then the Lakers should make that move. The market for that is small, however, with the best candidate being Joakim Noah if he is traded from the New York Knicks and bought out.

This is not an inconceivable move, either. With the prospects of bringing in Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler next offseason, the Knicks are in a similar situation as the Lakers were with Deng. The team owes Noah just under $38 million the next two seasons.

As Kristian Winfield of SB Nation states, this could lead to the Knicks trading Noah alongside young assets for an expiring deal like the Lakers did with the Brook Lopez trade last summer.

Let’s say that deal happens with the Orlando Magic and the Magic send Nikola Vucevic in return. There is a chance the Magic would simply buy Noah out to allow him to continue his career elsewhere and give Mohamed Bamba as many minutes as possible.

However, even if none of that pans out, the Knicks could simply do the exact same thing that the Lakers did. Noah can agree to give some of his contract back and the Knicks can buy him out, leaving him open to sign a veteran minimum deal elsewhere.

That is where the Los Angeles Lakers come into play and sign Noah to be the team’s starting center for this season. It is not going to make or break an NBA Title run for the Lakers but it will make the team much better off at center.

Next. Lakers most confusing moves of the offseason. dark

Joakim Noah and Luol Deng are two peas in a pod — two veterans that need to leave a massive market due to salary implications. As ironic as it is, the Los Angeles Lakers should replace one with the other.

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