Despite back-to-back postseason losses to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers did not address their need at the center position behind Anthony Davis this offseason.
Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes both picked up their player options to return to the team, but the former will miss the start of the season after undergoing knee surgery. So outside of Davis and Hayes, the only depth the Lakers currently have in the frontcourt are two-way players Christian Koloko, Colin Castleton and Armel Traore.
New head coach JJ Redick acknowledged earlier in the offseason that the Lakers are looking to add a center, but they will now go into the year without having addressed that.
When speaking at a press conference on Wednesday night, Redick did not seem too concerned due to the presence of Davis.
“I think we have not only one of the best players in the world, but one of the most unique players in the world in Anthony Davis because there are very few people that can do the things he can do at his size in terms of his ball handling, his skill level offensively and certainly the fact that he’s one of the best defensive players in the world,” Redick said.
“I would also say, I don’t know. I don’t view Nikola Jokic as a traditional center. I think back-to-the basket, that’s just not the modern NBA. I think we have a gift that we have Anthony Davis. It’s not a deterrent that we don’t have a 7-foot-2, 300 pound player. I’m not sure that is how we want to play, anyways.”
Redick was then asked about his plan for the center position if Davis is forced to miss time due to injury throughout the year.
“Well, that’s where you have a package for the different lineups,” he added. “That goes back to organization. We’re not going to ask Jaxson Hayes or Christian Wood, when he’s healthy, to play the same way that Anthony Davis does. So, we’ll manage.”
Davis is coming off the healthiest season of his career but also played for Team USA in the Olympics this summer, so the Lakers may be cautious with the big man to start the year. That means that guys like Hayes and Koloko will need to step up either behind Davis or in his absence, which is not ideal for certain matchups like Jokic and the Nuggets.
Lakers interested in Jonas Valanciunas?
If the Lakers do look to the trade market to address their center needs then one name to watch for is Jonas Valanciunas. The Lakers had interest in signing him before he landed with the Washington Wizards in free agency, and the two sides could talk about a potential deal once Valanciunas is eligible to be traded in December.