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Jerami Grant

Five Reasons Why Lakers Should Go Super Big To Win NBA Championship

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The Lakers won the NBA championship in the bubble by starting a bigger, more physical player at every position. This summer the Lakers need to go super big and build a modern version of the bubble championship team.

During eighteen months since the Lakers won the championship with their small-ball-on-steroids style of basketball, Pelinka seems to have forgotten what worked as he essentially downsized the Lakers at every position. The poor roster construction was exacerbated by the plague of injuries that left the Lakers reverting a micro-ball lineups with LeBron James starting at the five and the team bleeding rebounds and points in the paint.

Bigger guards like Green and Caldwell-Pope were replaced by smaller guards like Schroeder and Westbrook, small forwards like Kuzma and Morris were replaced by undersized wings like Reaves and Horton-Tucker. Instead of 7-footers like McGee and Howard eating up regular season minutes at center, Pelinka countered with ineffective rent-a-centers like undersized Harrell and over-the-hill Gasol, Drummond, and Jordan.

The Lakers have two paths to get bigger: leave James and Davis at the four and five and add a bigger 3&D wing like Grant or Reddish to the three or go super big by trading for a modern stretch five like Turner or Wood. Going super big with Myles Turner or Christian Wood to recreate a modern version of the lineup that won the bubble championship with a stretch rather than low post center could be the smart move for the Lakers.

Let’s look at the four reasons it would be smart for the Lakers to supersize their starting lineup by adding a modern stretch five center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

1. Going Super Big Is Lakers’ Best Chance to Win Championship

The best path to for the Los Angeles Lakers to win a championship in today’s NBA is to recreate a modern version of the super big purple and gold team that won the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble eighteen months ago.

Having two quality 7-foot centers who can protect the rim and dominate the glass and allow LeBron James and Anthony Davis to play the three and four instead of the four and five was a major reason why the Lakers won #17. What we’ve seen the last two seasons as the Lakers have downsized their roster is that size still counts and the formula of having bigger and more physical players at every position is a blueprint the Lakers need to follow.

The only thing the Lakers should change in their super big formula is replace two 7-foot low post traditional centers with two 7-foot modern centers who can protect the rim and also stretch the floor with shooting. The Lakers can’t count on LeBron and AD shooting over 40% from deep. They need to surround them with 3-point shooters who can stretch defenses and prevent them from packing the paint to prevent layups.

The only way the Lakers can recreate the super big lineups to win a championship next season is by trading for a center who can protect the rim and shoot the three instead of seeking a 3&D wing small forward.

2. Going Super Big Will Help Keep James and Davis Healthy

After all the injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis the past two seasons, the main reason for the Lakers to go super big could be to keep their two injury-prone superstars from getting injured or just worn out.

It’s one thing to play Anthony Davis at the five to win sixteen playoff games and another to start him at the five for 82 games. Considering is history and preference, limiting AD’s minutes at the five is common sense. Davis has appeared in just 40 of the Lakers’ 82 games this season and just 36 of the team’s 82 games last season. Lakers would be wise to limit Anthony’s minutes at the five by trading for a modern two-way center to start games.

Playing small ball all the time is like playing up and can add tremendous physical wear-and-tear to a player because a good portion of his minutes are often going to be played against a bigger and more physical player. That means AD is often banging against centers instead of forwards and LeBron is battling against power forward instead of small forwards. Lakers need to rethink how their rotation decisions impact their superstars’ health.

The Lakers going big by trading for a modern two-way starting center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood should relieve the front court workload and reduce the injury risk for superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

3. Going Super Big Will Improve Lakers’ Rim Protection

One of benefits of the Lakers going big and trading for a shot blocking center like Turner or Wood rather than a 3&D wing like Grant or Redding is to have an elite shot blocker on the court for 48 minutes per game.

At the heart of the Lakers’ defensive issues this season was their lack of rim protection, which fell from a league best 6.6 blocks per game in the 2020 championship season to 7th with just 5.2 blocks per game this last season. Having elite shot blocking 48 minutes of the game should also improve the Lakers opponent field goal percentage, which at 47.0% last season was 22nd in the league compared to 44.8% in 2020, which was 8th best in the league.

Adding a young stretch five center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood would give the Lakers a bully-ball front court the league hasn’t seen for decades with three skilled rim protectors who boast elite hops, power, and athleticism. Turner has led the league in blocked shots the past two seasons with 2.8 blocks for game last year and 3.4 blocks per game this year. Wood has averaged 1.0 and 1.2 blocked shots per game over the last two seasons.

Defense wins championships and great defense starts with great rim protection. Going super big by trading for an elite shot blocking center should dramatically improve the Lakers rim protection and overall defense.

4. Going Super Big Will Improve Lakers’ Rebounding

Going super big will solve the Lakers’ rebounding woes due to playing with greatly undersized lineups due to poor roster construction and injuries. Controlling the glass, especially defensively, is critical to winning games.

Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers averaged 44.0 rebounds per game, 18th in the league. That compares to 45.7 rebounds per game and for a 9th best ranking during their championship run in the bubble back in 2020. The potential to dominate the back boards with a bully-ball front court of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Myles Turner is big reason for the Lakers to prioritize adding a modern two-way center instead of a 3&D wing.

Adding a starting quality center like Myles Turner or Christian Wood should give the Lakers more rebounding punch than adding a small forward like Jerami Grant or Cam Reddish. Size matters when it comes to rebounding. While Myles Turner, who is taller at 6′ 11″ and heavier at 250 lbs, averaged just 7.1 rebounds per game last season while Christian Wood, who is shorter at 6′ 9″ and lighter at 200 lbs, was able to average 10.1 rebounds last year.

Control the glass and often you will control the game. Going super big by trading for a modern two-way center rather than a 3&D small forward will help the Lakers become a championship caliber rebounding team.

5. Going Super Big Will Unleash Anthony Davis at the Three

There is also a possible surprise reward for the Lakers going super big and trading for a modern two-way center, which is unleashing Anthony Davis to play small forward, the position he wants to finish his career playing.

Because they don’t want to wear out or injure 37-year old LeBron James by having him play small forward and chase smaller wing scorers around picks, the Lakers will start and play LeBron most of his time at the four. That opens the door for the Lakers to move AD and his ability to defend all five positions to the three where he can become the team’s leading scorer and shut-down defender who guards the opposing team’s top wing scorer.

Davis has reportedly told the Lakers he would ultimately like to play the three, where his creative handle and elite ballhandling would have more room to make offensive moves and attack the basket than playing the four or five. Defensively, Davis at the three could be the missing lock-down wing defender the Lakers have long coveted to guard the Kawhi Leonards, Paul Georges, Kevin Durants, and other wing scorers who’ve haunted the Lakers.

Going super big with a modern version of the Lakers bully ball championship team has the potential to transform AD into the top-five superstar who can take the baton from LeBron and be the Lakers’ alpha.

Lakers Get Second Chance to Do What They Should Have Done Last Summer

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The Los Angeles Lakers get a rare second chance this summer to surround superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis with three championship quality starters who possess critically needed 3-point shooting and defense.

Professional sports teams rarely get a second chance to do something right they did wrong last time, but that’s exactly where the Los Angeles Lakers will find themselves this summer as they get a mulligan of sorts for last summer. Committed to ending the Westbrook experiment, the Lakers decided at the deadline to hold onto all of their trading chips until summer to improve their chances of being able to swap Russ and pieces for three new starters.

Finding a trading partner for Westbrook should be easier this summer than at the deadline because Russ’ $47 salary suddenly becomes a huge expiring contract coveted by teams looking to clear cap space or dump contracts. Besides Russell Westbrook (Player Option), Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn (Player Option), Austin Reaves, and Stanley Johnson (Team Option), the Lakers will also be able to offer their 2027 and 2029 first round picks.

Whether the Lakers will be able to do this summer what they didn’t do last summer could well determine the future of the franchise. If the Lakers are forced to buyout, waive, and stretch Russ, it could cripple their cap space. On the other hand, if Pelinka can find a team desperate to move good players on long-term deals for expiring contracts, the Laker could have a legitimate chance to correct the mistake they made in trading for Russ.

The key to the Lakers being able to do right this summer what they should have done last summer will be their willingness as a franchise to accept back players with multiple year contracts to move Westbrook’s $47 million contract. That’s the only way the Lakers are going to turn Russ’ expiring contract into an asset and trading chip and not a liability that would cost them valuable draft capital or waive-and-stretch dead cap space to move.

Here are three possible scenarios where the Lakers get a second chance to do what they should have done last summer and surround LeBron and AD with with championship starting players who can shoot, pass, and defend.

1. Trade for Christian Wood, Buddy Hield, and Malcolm Brogdon

Christian Wood, 26-years old, 6′ 9″, 214 lbs
Averaging 17.9/10.1/2.2 in 31.2 mpg
Shooting 49.4%/38.1%/60.8% on 4.9 3PA

Buddy Hield, 29-years old 6′ 4″, 220 lbs
Averaging 15.2/4.3/2.5 in 39.2 mpg
Shooting 47.5%/36.8%/91.7% on 8.6 3PA

Malcolm Brogdon, 29-years old, 6′ 5″, 229 lbs
Averaging 19.1/5.3/6.0 in 33.6 mpg
Shooting 44.6%/37.7%/88.1% on 5.2 3PA

The Lakers’ best option to redo what they did wrong last offseason is to trade Russ, THT, Nunn, and their 2027 and 2029 first round picks for three new starters in Christian Wood, Buddy Hield, and Malcolm Brogdon.

By trading Russ’ $47 million expiring contract and their 2027 first round pick to the Indiana Pacers in a salary dump for Buddy Hield and Malcolm Brogdon, the Lakers can miraculously reverse last summer’s big trade. They not only get out of Russ’ contract but get the perfect two-way point guard in Malcolm Brogdon and volume 3-point sharpshooter in Buddy Hield, the shooting guard the Lakers almost traded for instead of Russ last summer.

The best player in these trades and difference-maker in this Lakers’ rebuilding scenario is Christian Wood, whom the Lakers get from the Rockets in exchange for Horton-Tucker, Nunn, and their 2029 first round pick. Christian not only gives the Lakers the athletic big they were missing to make their small-ball-on-steroids lineups work but also a second elite shot-blocking stretch center to share the four and five with Anthony Davis.

A starting lineup for next season of Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Christian Wood would be the dramatic upgrade in offensive firepower and defensive rim protection the Lakers need. While they gave up THT and Nunn, the Lakers should still have a solid group of valuable young role players coming off the bench, including Malik Monk, Austin Reaves, and Stanley Johnson, along with veteran Carmelo Anthony.

Trading for Wood, Hield, and Brogdon should be the Lakers’ top option to upgrade next season’s starting lineup. They give the Lakers the 3-point shooting, rim protection, and perimeter defense they need to win it all.

2. Trade for Jerami Grant, Evan Fournier, and Kemba Walker

Jerami Grant, 27-years old, 6′ 8″, 210 lbs
Averaging 19.1/4.1/2.6 in 32.3 mpg
Shooting 42.0%/34.0%/83.9% on 5.3 3PA

Kemba Walker, 31-years old, 6′ 0″, 184 lbs
Averaging 11.6/3.0/3.5 in 25.6 mpg
Shooting 40.3%/36.7%/84.8% on 5.4 3PA

Evan Fournier, 29-years old 6′ 6″, 205 lbs
Averaging 15.2/4.3/2.5 in 39.2 mpg
Shooting 42.0%/39.0%/69.9% on 7.6 3PA

The Lakers’ next option to redo what they did wrong last offseason is trade Westbrook, Horton-Tucker, Nunn, and their 2027 and 2029 first round picks for three new starters in Jerami Grant, Evan Fournier, and Kemba Walker.

By trading Russ’ $47 million expiring contract to the Knicks in a salary dump for Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, Nerlens Noel, and Cam Reddish, the Lakers could avoid sacrificing a first round pick to move Westbrook. Instead, they essentially break Westbrook’s $47 million contract into four separate contracts for $9.1 million, $10.0 million, $18.0 million, and $5.9 million that they can keep or flip or aggregate for different players.

The star player the Lakers land in this rebuilding scenario is 27-year old Jerami Grant, who is the bigger 3&D wing the Lakers desperately need to complement their LeBron James and Anthony Davis small ball lineups. Jerami gives the Lakers the small forward they have missed who can score from all three levels and, most importantly, give the Lakers the elite wing defender who can guard bigger scoring wings like Kawhi Leonard.

A starting lineup for next season of Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, Jerami Grant, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis would be a major upgrade over the Lakers’ current starters, especially in 3-point shooting and firepower. While they lost THT, Johnson, and Nunn, the Lakers still have solid help off the bench in returnees Malik Monk, Austin Reaves, and Carmelo Anthony and new additions from the Knicks in Cam Reddish and Alex Burks.

Trading for Grant, Fournier, and Walker should be a top option for Lakers to upgrade next season’s starting lineup. They give the starting lineup a huge boost in offensive firepower and high volume 3-point shooting.

3. Trade for Christian Wood, Eric Gordon, and John Wall

Christian Wood, 26-years old, 6′ 9″, 214 lbs
Averaging 17.9/10.1/2.2 in 31.2 mpg
Shooting 49.4%/38.1%/60.8% on 4.9 3PA

Eric Gordon, 33-years old, 6′ 3″, 215lbs
Averaging 13.9/2.0/2. 8 in 29.8 mpg
Shooting 47.6%/41.1%/77.1% on 5.4 3PA

John Wall, 31-years old 6′ 3″, 210 lbs
Averaging 20.6/3.2/6.9 in 32.2 mpg
Shooting 40.4%/31.7%/74.9% on 6.2 3PA

The Lakers’ third option to redo what they did wrong last offseason is to trade Westbrook, THT, Nunn, Johnson, and their 2027 and 2029 first round picks for three new starters in Christian Wood, Eric Gordon, and John Wall.

The Lakers are essentially swapping Russell Westbrook and their 2027 first round pick for John Wall and Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, Stanley Johnson, and their 2029 first round pick for Eric Gordon and Christian Wood. Wood, Gordon, and Wall would be a massive upgrade for the Lakers’ starting lineup over this season. Suddenly, the Lakers would not only boast better spacing and 3-point shooting but also better interior and perimeter defense.

There’s a lot to like about this trade for the Lakers. They get a proven quality point guard replacement for Westbrook in John Wall, a starting stretch five center in Christian Wood to let LeBron and AD play their preferred positions. The Lakers get an elite high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter in veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon, who averaged over 40% on over five 3-point attempts per game while defending multiple positions at an elite level.

A starting lineup for next season of John Wall, Eric Gordon, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Christian Wood could be a championship team with the lethal firepower and rim protection and perimeter defense the Lakers need. While they gave up THT, Nunn, and Johnson, the Lakers should still have a solid group of valuable role players coming off the bench, including young Malik Monk and Austin Reaves and elite veteran Carmelo Anthony.

Trading for Wood, Gordon, and Wall should be one of the Lakers’ options to upgrade next season’s starting lineup. This is a deal the Lakers should seriously consider to add three championship quality starters.

Three Explosive Personnel Decisions Rob Pelinka and Lakers Must Make!

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When you’re the Los Angeles Lakers, life comes at you fast. Little more than 14 months after winning their 17th title, the purple and gold find themselves facing three monumental franchise-defining personnel decisions.

The 16–16 Lakers are now 32 games into the 2021–22 NBA season with four players out due to H&S protocols and three more due to injury, including superstar center Anthony Davis, who’s slated to miss 20 to 30 games. Suddenly, in addition to trying to tread water until Nunn and now Davis get healthy, the Lakers find themselves having to rethink the role and viability of their superstar big three and their grand plan for the future.

This season is starting to eerily resemble the Lakers’ last season when injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis undermined the team’s quest to repeat and ended in a whimper via a first round exit courtesy of the Phoenix Suns. Just 14 months after winning their 18th NBA championship, the Lakers thought they were on the verge of a dynasty but now find themselves faced with three explosive personnel decisions that could determine their future.

Should the Lakers trade or keep Russell Westbrook? Can they count on Anthony Davis to be durable or impactful enough to take the baton from LeBron? And how long can LeBron James continue to play at this level?

1. Should the Lakers Trade or Keep Russell Westbrook?

Despite Westbrook playing well and being what they hoped for when they traded for him, the Lakers are already exploring whether he might be the missing piece in a trade to improve their roster and championship hopes.

Once the trade door is opened, it’s hard to close. The Lakers also have not seen how their team would look with a healthy Trevor Ariza and Kendrick Nunn. Unfortunately, Anthony Davis’ injury may now make that moot. Packaging Westbrook with budding young talent like Horton-Tucker and Nunn could give the Lakers the trading chips to bring back players with the size and defense at the wing and in the front court to fix their roster.

What it will come down to is whether the Lakers will be able to trade THT and Nunn for the bigger 3&D wing player (Jerami Grant) or modern stretch five center (Myles Turner) to let Davis to play his preferred power forward? That would be the ideal solution but the Lakers will probably have to expand the trade to include Russ, multiple players on both sides, and even another team. Their championship hopes will depend on what Pelinka is able to do.

Finding a trading partner to take on the final year of Russ’ contract would probably be a doable option this summer. Finding a team to take on two years and $91 million midseason will be more challenging but possible.

2. Can the Lakers Count on AD to Take the Baton from LeBron?

After a scintillating performance and winning a championship in the bubble, 28-year old Anthony Davis was projected by everybody to be on the verge of replacing LeBron James as the best player on the planet and the Lakers.

Unfortunately, major injuries have not only derailed Davis ascension to the crown but also raised concerns whether Anthony has the alpha mentality and physical durability to take the baton from LeBron and lead the Lakers. Injuries to LeBron and AD were probably a big part of the reason why the Lakers ultimately chose to trade for a third superstar in Russell Westbrook. A third superstar is the best insurance of losing a superstar to injury.

Right now, the Lakers are both worried about Davis being injury prone and concerned whether he will be capable of being the team’s alpha player. For whatever reason, AD has clearly not been the same player since the bubble. While the Lakers still consider Anthony Davis to be untouchable, they’re also having second thoughts about whether Davis’ struggles could be related to playing so many minutes at the five when he prefers playing the four.

The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t concerned Anthony Davis won’t be able to take the baton from LeBron James. They’re just trying to decide whether AD’s future as a Laker is playing small ball center or playing power forward.

3. How Long Can LeBron Continue to Play at an Elite Level?

How long can LeBron James continue to be the King and a top-five player on the planet and how best to optimize his championship window will be key factors in any moves the Lakers make before the trade deadline.

Rob Pelinka has already confirmed the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook to reduce the workload on LeBron James. Sources also confirmed the Lakers are interested in trading Westbrook for Sixers’ point guard Ben Simmons. Rich Paul, the agent for James, Davis, and Simmons, just confirmed to Shams Charania that the two players the Lakers are targeting for this midseason trades are in fact the Sixers’ Ben Simmons and the Pistons’ Jerami Grant.

What Klutch Sports’ president Rich Paul did was announce to the basketball world that the any NBA team that wants to trade for Ben Simmons will have to come up with a better offer than Lakers superstar Russell Westbrook. Trading Westbrook for Simmons would be a genius move if Pelinka can pull it off. Because of the Lakers’ relationship with Klutch and Ben’s relationship with LeBron and AD, L.A. may be the only team who could trade for Russ.

The Lakers believe LeBron James can play until he is 40-years old. He will turn 37 on December 30th and will be 38 when his contract expires in June 2023. The Lakers will likely sign LeBron to a final extension this summer.