The Los Angeles Lakers are about to embark on a title run, but general manager Rob Pelinka can start looking to the offseason. The team now has a young superstar to build around in Luka Doncic, but once LeBron James retires, they need to surround him with more talent.
Doncic does really good work with athletic bigs. Pelinka tried and failed to get him one when the Lakers traded for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams. However, that deal fell through due to a failed physical.
Jaxson Hayes has played well, but the Lakers need to be aggressive in adding another center this offseason. The team isn’t going to find their starter next year in the NBA Draft, but they could take a chance on an intriguing prospect.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report projected that the Lakers will select Michigan center Vladislav Goldin with their second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is the only pick they own this year.
“Vladislav Goldin went for 23 points, 12 boards and three blocks against Texas A&M, but Michigan couldn’t get him involved against Johni Broome and Auburn,” Wasserman wrote. “He’s become a second-round name to think about for teams with how tough his combination of 7’1”, 250-pound size and touch has become.
“After attempting zero threes through four seasons, Goldin hit 11 this year, a potentially intriguing development that teams will surely look into during predraft workouts.”
Goldin’s Michigan Ties Could Intrigue Pelinka
It’s worth noting that Pelinka could be even more interested in Goldin due to their connection to Michigan. The Lakers’ general manager is one of the most notable alumni to come out of their basketball program.
Goldin only spent a year at Michigan, but he was an impact player for the team. Pelinka has added former Michigan players before, so Goldin will likely at least be on his radar, especially when you consider the Lakers’ need at center.
Will Center Hold Lakers Back?
Hayes is in the Lakers’ starting lineup, but the team plays a lot of small ball with their current roster. Alex Len is the backup center, but he’s borderline unplayable for the team in the playoffs.
If Hayes has to miss any time at all, the Lakers are going to lack a capable center. That could present problems, but it’s not enough to sink their chances of winning a championship.
Would the Lakers like to have more depth at center? Of course, but having Doncic and James on the same team makes it easier to look past that.
The Lakers are likely to have the best duo of any team they face in the playoffs. Doncic and James have fit together seamlessly. It’s going to be very difficult to beat teams like the Boston Celtics or Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game series without a better situation at center, but the Lakers are still dangerous.
Finding more center help will be a major priority this offseason, but the Lakers have to work with what they have, and what they have is still good enough to at least get to the NBA Finals.
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