Lakers Reunion With Former Big Man Just Got More Likely

The Los Angeles Lakers are still in pursuit of their next head coach after UConn’s Dan Hurley decided to stay in the college ranks instead of making the jump to the pros. However, the Lakers also need to do some homework on the 2024 draft class and free agents.

Up to this point, we haven’t heard much about the Lakers’ free agent targets, despite the team needing to retool after a disappointing performance in the first round of the NBA playoffs. One position that Los Angeles needs to address is center.

The Lakers could use a quality backup center that could play sometimes in the frontcourt with All-Star big man Anthony Davis. This season, Los Angeles received little to no production from Christian Wood (6.9 ppg and 5.1 rpg) and Jaxson Hayes (4.3 ppg and 3.0 rpg).

Luckily for Los Angeles, there’s a former Lakers center that could be the perfect solution to the team’s issues in the frontcourt. 

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote about how the Chicago Bulls need to hit big in the NBA Draft, but there’s not a clear direction for the team. Cowley discusses the frontcourt and reveals there's an “expected vacancy of Andre Drummond”.

"“What remains to be seen, however, is what direction do the Bulls go? Do they prepare for DeMar DeRozan possibly leaving in free agency or if he does return — the more likely scenario — draft his heir apparent at the small forward position? Do they grab a big to replace the expected vacancy with Andre Drummond looking for a new team, as well as some youth to push starter Nikola Vucevic?”"

Drummond received a lot of attention leading up to the NBA trade deadline this season, but the Bulls decided to keep the big man. The 30-year-old center posted 8.4 points and 9.0 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game.

When Drummond played for the Lakers in the latter part of the 2020-21 season, the veteran big man produced 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in 21 games (all starts). If the Lakers were to get back Drummond, he wouldn’t start. But he would provide relief to a Los Angeles’ frontcourt that is leaning heavily on Davis and LeBron James.

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