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Los Angeles Lakers: Why a deadline trade this season is inevitable

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 04: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after teammate Brandon Ingram #14 stole the in bound ball from Cameron Reynolds #13 of the Sacramento Kings at end of the game at Staples Center on October 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 04: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after teammate Brandon Ingram #14 stole the in bound ball from Cameron Reynolds #13 of the Sacramento Kings at end of the game at Staples Center on October 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. The Los Angeles Lakers have no other option for a decent center

Center did not seem to be the Los Angeles Lakers priority this season. After letting both Julius Randle and Brook Lopez walk in free agency, the best the Lakers could do was to bring in veteran big man, JaVale McGee.

I do not want to completely trash McGee as he has actually looked quite decent in the preseason thus far and will be a decent rim protector and rebounder for the team. At least with McGee, you know exactly what you are going to get.

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However, at the end of the day, McGee should still be a reserve center, leaving the Lakers without a true viable center. Guys like Kyle Kuzma, Moritz Wagner and Ivica Zubac can all help with the center position off the bench.

Zubac is the only true center in that group and he has not looked great in the preseason thus far. This leaves the Lakers with a barren landscape at the center position.

There really are not too many great centers that will hit the market next summer and be worth the Lakers pursuing financially. While that does not mean that there are absolutely no options, the Lakers need to do a bit better for a title contending team.

Thus, a trade might be the only way for the Lakers to give the long-term answer at center. Perhaps it can be Anthony Daivs, which would easily make the Lakers the favorites to win the NBA Finals.

Heck, it could even be Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic could serve as the gap option to transition into a long-term option at center and would be great in that role. Mohamed Bamba is the future of the center position in Orlando and the Lakers can get a discounted rate for Vucevic.

Next. How the Lakers' bench minutes should be divided. dark

Either way, making a midseason trade would allow the Lakers to pick from an area of depth and improve in an area of need. That is something that LeBron James is looking to do every single Trade Deadline.

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