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Los Angeles Lakers: Making the case for Tristan Thompson if bought out

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 13: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles past the defense of Tristan Thompson #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of a game at Staples Center on January 13, 2020 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 Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 13: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles past the defense of Tristan Thompson #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of a game at Staples Center on January 13, 2020 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 Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Reason against: The Los Angeles Lakers do not really need any size

The Los Angeles Lakers are set when it comes to size and it is the one thing that they have a significant advantage over the Los Angeles Clippers, who is their biggest test in the West. Not only do the Lakers have the best frontcourt teammates in the league in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but the team has two solid centers in JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard.

McGee and Howard do not do much to wow the crowd but they are good enough at their job and give the Lakers consistent big men to eat up minutes. Is either guy going to be on the court in the final five minutes of the game? Probably not, but they do their job more than well enough.

Thompson would not really bring anything that McGee and Howard do not have. You could make the case that Thompson would be a more reliable option in the final five minutes of the game but JaVale McGee has just as much playoff experience as Thompson.

The team is already battling a positional logjam at with Kyle Kuzma and with Anthony Davis playing the five in crunch time, adding another center should not be the first move on the Lakers’ mind.

The Lakers could use another wing defender or even another primary playmaker that could handle the ball and take some minutes away from Rajon Rondo, who has not been consistent, to say the least.

Tristan Thompson is great and all but we are not going to be seeing him taking the ball up the court when LeBron is on the bench.

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