Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers employed Anthony Davis almost exclusively at the center position and he was dominant all year long. However, things tended to take a dip whenever he took a rest as the team’s backup big man options didn’t have the strength to bang down low with some of the bigger centers in the league.
As the Lakers assess the roster and what additions need to be made to make a leap next year, adding another true center appears to be high on the list. There is a lot on Davis’ plate and the front office appears to want to lighten the load on the superstar.
According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, the Lakers are closely monitoring potential center additions this offseason both through the NBA Draft and free agency:
The Lakers need to decide on a head coach for next season. But regardless of who is coaching Los Angeles next season, the Lakers are monitoring their offseason options at center closely, per people with knowledge of the situation.
The Lakers have visited with some top centers in the draft. They have the No. 17 pick in the first round. The club could also obviously pursue a center in free agency. Adding a traditional big man would, in theory, allow Anthony Davis more opportunity to play power forward alongside a center.
Adding a true center with some size makes a lot of sense, especially as the Lakers have been torched by Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic over the past couple of seasons. Davis is truly one of the best defensive bigs in the NBA today, but he isn’t quite strong enough to deal with certain players and having that option is imperative.
As was mentioned, it would also allow Davis to play some more power forward at times, which remains his preference despite thriving at the center position. Center will likely remain his primary position, but having the option to go big, and the lineup versatility that comes with that, is important in today’s NBA.
Purdue star big man Zach Edey would be a potential draft pick that could fill the void while someone like Kel’el Ware or Yves Missi could be intriguing as well. The market in free agency isn’t stocked with big names, but players such as Jonas Valanciunas, Goga Bitadze, Andre Drummond and Jalen Smith could fit what the Lakers are looking for as well.
Lakers work out Zach Edey prior to 2024 NBA Draft
The Lakers have brought in a number of players for workouts as they hold the 17th overall pick in the NBA Draft and Purdue’s Zach Edey is among those they have worked out.
Standing at 7’4, Edey is the back-to-back National College Player of the Year who led the nation in scoring last season while pushing the Boilermakers to the National Title game where they lost to UConn.
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