The Los Angeles Lakers will spend the upcoming offseason bolstering their frontcourt rotation. After falling short in the playoffs due to their lack of size, athleticism, defense, and depth, the Lakers will almost certainly add at least one quality center this summer.
There are plenty of candidates for the job. Since the Lakers don't have extensive financial resources, they will likely have to turn to the trade market to get what they are looking for. One of the names the Lakers are reportedly interested in, however, should ring alarm bells for the fans.
Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints revealed a shortlist of centers whose teams the Lakers have "held conversations with". On this list was Robert Williams III of the Portland Trail Blazers.
"Sources say they've held conversations with other teams about Nic Claxton, Robert Williams, Walker Kessler and others."Anthony Irwin, ClutchPoints
As desperate as the Lakers are for a starting center, trading for Williams would be a big mistake. At his best, Timelord is an excellent lob threat and rim protector who would be an intriguing fit next to LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
The problem is that he is almost never at his best due to significant injury concerns. The former Celtics big man played a total of 61 games over the last three seasons, dealing with a myriad of ailments in the meantime.
Plus, Williams can't play significant minutes for this reason, leaving him better suited as a bench option. The problem with having him as a backup big is that you will need to have a solid backup to your backup because he can't be relied upon to get through the entire season. Considering that he is set to make $13.2 million for next season, that is a luxury the Lakers simply can't afford.
Los Angeles is already cash-strapped and has a slew of players like Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Maxi Kleber who make eight-figure salaries without contributing much. It would be a misstep to add another one into the mix.