Explaining the Lakers’ Big Men Situation
An evaluation of the Lakers’ depth, and see how do they match up against their competition.
We all know the big move the Lakers did this offseason by trading for superstar Anthony Davis, so who will the Lakers pear him up with?
This offseason the team signed DeMarcus Cousins but lost him on a season-ending injury before he could even debut for the team. That injury forced the Lakers to go back to the market, and they signed old friend Dwight Howard. Alongside, the team brought back JaVale McGee.
Howard and McGee are similar players, solid on defense, capable of blocking some shots. They are also pretty good rebounders, with McGee averaging 7.4 rebounds on 5 games this preseason, and Howard averaging 8.6 boards. On the offensive side, they are effective. This preseason McGee is shooting 71% from the floor, while Howard shoots 59%. The difference between them might be JaVale’s speed and Dwight’s power. As we can see, this duo gives the Lakers a two-headed monster at the center, showing no drop off between them.
Both McGee and Howard would play alongside Anthony Davis at the 4. But what if Anthony Davis plays at the center? Well, there is the possibility that at late-game situations the Lakers would play with a smaller lineup that features Davis at the center position, as it was reported weeks ago.
In that case, the player that could play the 4 is Kyle Kuzma. If the Lakers want to go small, Kuzma would fill that role based on his characteristics. The problem with Kuzma playing that position would be defensive. Can Kyle Kuzma step up his defensive game this year? That’s one of the questions the Lakers will have to answer on the court this season.
Until then, who do you think are the two big men that should be in the starting lineup for the Lakers?
Featured Image: Via Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE via Getty Images
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Categorized:Lakers