The Los Angeles Lakers have had one of the busiest offseasons in the NBA, as the Rob Pelinka-led front office signed Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia in free agency, re-signed Jaxon Hayes, and extended Luka Doncic for the long haul. The franchise also snagged second-round draft pick Adou Thiero from the Brooklyn Nets in a move that was widely praised by scouts and analysts alike.
Yet, many analysts believe the Lakers have a massive void at the center position. Maxi Kleber, who has dealt with foot issues for the last few years, is realistically the Lakers’ only big man who can shoot threes, a concern for any team in the modern NBA.
One stretch big man who is still available in the market who could help the Lakers is Precious Achiuwa, the former New York Knicks forward. Fadeaway World made a case for the Lakers to sign Achiuwa to bolster their center rotation.
Lakers Could Use More Shooting
“Achiuwa has been viewed as a high-value asset, especially on a team-friendly contract. While undersized, Achiuwa is capable of playing multiple positions in the frontcourt, although he is primarily a power forward and center. This flexibility could be crucial in shoring up their overall rotation in the event of injuries.
“The 25-year-old boasts athleticism and impressive physical tools, which could be of interest to the Lakers.
“At 6’8″, Achiuwa is mobile and quick. This often makes him a difficult matchup for larger, floor-bound centers. He also possesses great jumping ability, which makes him an asset as a rim-runner in transition or as a lob threat in the dunker’s spot.”
For his career, Achiuwa has averaged 1.2 made threes per game at a decent clip of 30% for a center. As such, he could provide the shooting the Lakers need in the front court.
Do Lakers Need Another Center?
As it stands, Ayton is expected to be the starting center, with Hayes backing up the former No. 1 overall pick from the Bahamas. The center rotation has some analysts worried, seeing as Ayton had an underwhelming campaign with the Portland Trail Blazers last season, and Hayes was nearly out of the Lakers’ rotation in the playoffs.
“Nothing the Lakers do is under the radar, so this potential pitfall might seem more obvious than the other contenders’ concerns,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote about the Lakers’ biggest concerns. “But until proved otherwise, L.A. is soft in the middle [at the center spot].”
“After coach JJ Redick went away from Jaxson Hayes in the Lakers’ first-round series against Minnesota (he played no more than nine minutes in any game and was benched in the final game), the Lakers signed a new starting center in Deandre Ayton.
The ESPN analyst highlighted how Ayton had not played in “games that have mattered” since leaving the Phoenix Suns, expressing concerns about his ability to respond to the pressure of being the Lakers’ starting center.
“The Lakers’ other options at center are Hayes, who was brought back as a backup, Maxi Kleber, who played just one game with L.A. because of a right foot fracture after being acquired in the Luka Doncic deal, and Jarred Vanderbilt, their small-ball center option who has missed 99 games the past two seasons because of injuries.”
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