The Los Angeles Lakers currently have 13 players with guaranteed contracts on their roster with the expected signing of DeAndre Jordan bringing them up to 14. That leaves one spot remaining and with Marc Gasol’s future uncertain, another spot could soon open up as well.
Exactly what kind of player the franchise would target should they want to add another is unclear, but considering their last two additions were a center and a point guard, another wing would seem to make the most sense and apparently there is one whom the team has taken a look at.
On the latest edition of the HoopsHype Podcast, Michael Scotto reported that the Lakers are one of a couple teams interested in veteran wing James Ennis:
James Ennis has drawn interest from the Blazers as well as the Bulls, Lakers, and Magic, I’m told.
Ennis would make sense for the Lakers as another experienced wing player with some playoff experience. He has played for seven teams in his seven-year career and is a local product, having attended Ventura High School and starring at Long Beach State University.
The veteran is known to be a solid defender who can potentially defend multiple positions. Additionally, he has worked hard to improve his 3-point shooting ability and is coming off a year in which he shot a career-high 43.3% from deep with the Orlando Magic, albeit on a small volume.
The main question is whether or not the Lakers plan on adding another player before training camp begins. The team is expected to go into the season with 14 players under contract in order to maintain flexibility and that is where they currently stand. But the team going into the season with Jordan, Gasol and Dwight Howard at center seems highly unlikely, hence the possibility of Gasol being moved or released.
Should the Lakers choose to add another wing, Ennis would be a solid choice with his skillset. At 31 years old he would actually be one of the youngest players on the roster, and he’s shown he can contribute either as a starter or off the bench.
Kendrick Perkins pushes back on Lakers are too old narrative
Ennis would be another player 30 years or older on the Lakers roster should he be brought in, likely bringing on more jokes about the Lakers being too old to win the championship. But one person who doesn’t agree with that notion is ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins.
Perkins blasted the idea that the Lakers are too old, noting how good those players have still been in recent years while also asking the question of who in the West would someone believe could defeat them in a playoff series.
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