The success of the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason and chances to repeat as champions heads for a reckoning this Friday when free agency starts and the team begins a desperate quest to sign a starting center for the season.
A quick look at the Lakers’ current roster heading into free agency lists the team’s only center as JaVale McGee, whose stock went from starting the for the entire regular season to becoming essentially unplayable in the playoffs. Dwight Howard, the other center from the Lakers’ championship roster last season is a free agent who also was benched during the NBA Finals and has announced he wants a bigger contract than the team seems willing to pay.
While the McGee/Howard traditional low post center tandem was a key part of the Lakers’ regular season success, everything changed after the addition of Markieff Morris, who transformed the offense and defense. Morris’ ability to create better spacing on offense and quicker rotations on defense enabled head coach Frank Vogel to play Anthony Davis more at the center position and transform the Lakers into a championship juggernaut.
The result was both McGee and Howard became essentially unplayable against many matchups by the end of the playoffs, leaving the Lakers desperately needing to sign a starting center heading into free agency. Fortunately, there are only three teams with major cap space left and several quality centers whom the Lakers could pursue with their $9.3 million non-taxpayer MLE who’d be better fits than McGee or Howard.
Heading the list is Suns’ free agent Aron Baynes, a 33-year old, 6′ 10,” 260 lb veteran stretch five who averaged 11.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 22.3 minutes while shooting 35.1% on 4.0 attempts per game. Aron made $5.4 million last season so the Lakers should be able to land him with a big raise by offering him their $9.3 million non-taxpayer MLE and the opportunity to start on a championship team and win a ring.
The Lakers were planning to pursue Baynes last offseason, expecting him to be waived by the Suns after they acquired him in a trade from the Celtics. Unfortunately, Phoenix kept him and he enjoyed a career season for them. Aron would be a great fit on the Lakers and his elite 3-point shooting would open the floor up and make it very hard for teams to pack the paint against LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He should be the Lakers top target.
Second on the list should be 27-year old, 7′ 0,” 240 lb free agent Willie Cauley-Stein who averaged 7.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 23.0 minutes per game last season as three-level defensive center for the Mavs. While Willie is not a stretch five, he’s an elite rim protector who can defend players on the perimeter. Together with Anthony Davis, he would give the Lakers one of the most dominating defensive front courts in the league.
Willie earned just $2.2 million last season so the Lakers should be able to sign him with their $3.6 million BAE. A pairing of Baynes and Cauley-Stein would give the Lakers a modern offensive and defensive center tandem. The Lakers could then gamble on signing the still injured DeMarcus Cousins to replace McGee and become their third center, giving them a deep and versatile center rotation of Baynes, Cauley-Stein, and Cousins.
Finally, the Lakers should pursue free agent Serge Ibaka, a 31-year old, 7′ 0,” 235 lb veteran center who averaged 15.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 27.0 minutes while shooting 38.5% on 3.3 attempts per game. Serge made $23.2 million last year, so the best the Lakers can offer is their $9.3 million non-taxpayer MLE. Unfortunately, that may not be enough to lure him from Toronto but the Lakers should definitely make a run at him.
Last but not least, if the Lakers strike out on Baynes, Cauley-Stein, and Ibaka, they probably should consider re-signing Dwight Howard with their $3.6 million BAE as he is a better defender and rebounder than McGee. While Howard won’t give them the modern offensive or defensive center they covet, he did help them win an NBA championship and is still a solid rim protector and physical force on the boards that teams have to respect.
Just give me Baynes for the MLE, Cauley-Stein for the BAE, and Boogie for the VME. And trade JaVale for a second rounder next season.
So how would you divide the available 24 minutes between the 3 centers on the roster. Lol. We are at our best with AD at the 5 and that will continue next year as well.
I’m actually not sure that Baynes at the 5 and AD at the 4 might be better offensively than AD at the 5 and Morris at the 4.
Same with WCS at the 5 and AD at the 4 cold be better defensively than AD at the 5 and Morris at the 4.
Those are even bigger offensive and defensive nightmare matchups for other teams than AD and Morris.
Any opinion about Meyers Leonard? He is irritating to watch when he’s on the bench, but he does try when he’s on the court and can rebound, set screens and shoot the three. I’d like a player like him, a return of Dwight for another conservative salary and Morris for his savvy and 3 and ability to play small ball center.
Hey, Howard. Great to see you found your way to the new site.
I kind of forgot about Leonard because he’s coming off a $11M contract with Miami and they supposedly want him back but at a discount since he won’t start. I love his 3-point shooting, over 40% the last three years but didn’t play many minutes. Might be able to get a player like him for the modern offensive half of the center tandem and then a WCS or Noel for the defensive half with the $9.3M NT MLE. Good take, he should in the competition if he’s willing to take a cut in pay, which it looks like he will have to do. Thanks.
Aloha Tom, I do like Baynes a lot. But I’m pretty sure we will only sign one more center. AD plays center half the time and we are at our best when he does so I can’t see us using 3 roster spots for centers. As for me I don’t know which would be better for us, signing a center for the full MLE or signing one for say the bi annual and going after a guy like Harkless to guard big wings like Danny did.
First, we have to figure Boogie is going to take all season to fully recover since he’s not going to be ready to play when we start.
Second, we’re going to reduce AD’s minutes along with LeBron’s since they played in the Finals so he won’t play as many minutes as last year.
Third, neither McGee or Howard allowed us to play the type of offense and defense we played with AD at center. However, Baynes will let us play offensively like AD did and WCS would let s play defensively like we did with AD at the 5. The result is we won’t need AD as much at the five, which will be better for him.
So maybe Baynes plays 16 minutes, WCS, 16 minutes, and Davis 16 minutes at the five. As Boogies gets healthier, we can give him some of AD’s minutes at the 5.
I’m sure we won’t sign all three as that’s a dream scenario but we should get two of the three with maybe McGee as “in case of emergency, break glass” center. Could even see Baynes and Howard, or WCS and Boogie, or ideally, Baynes and WCS.
Can’t come back with Howard and McGee. That much is obvious.
Noel could be a possibility as could Ibaka.
I guess I’m just much more concerned with perimeter defense then you are Tom. While Danny was a offensive disappointment, his defense was key because he could guard 1 through 3. He even held his ground against bigs. Dennis is a tough defender but he can’t do that. You can find rim protection for the vet min or bae but a stud perimeter defender will cost more. I also think we will continue to go small with AD like last year. Our “small” line up is a nightmare for the entire league. We maybe better offensively with a stretch 5 but it still will not be as good as AD at the 5.
That’s why we need the versatility of having a modern offensive and defensive center to pair with AD depending on the needs and matchup. Having AD and WCS on the floor at the same time would give us a better defense than AD and Markieff. We would have two shot blockers who can also defend guards and forwards at all three levels when switched.
You need 2 5’s and if we bring back Cousins than he and McGee are good enough. Would one rather maybe flip McGee for Baynes so Phoenix gets something in return? Sure, that could be a thing. If we have McGee we already have the same skillset as Willie would bring, again maybe we could flip McGee and WCS but I don’t see that one.
Bottom line, even if we run McGee back, promote Cacock to a full 2 Way and bring Boogie back I feel like we’re fine at the 5. Unless Serge wants to take a huge paycut and Toronto has no interest in bringing him back I see him as being out of reach.
I’m also a big fan of Frank Kaminsky but he may be out of our price range.
“If we have McGee we already have the same skillset as Willie would bring.”
They’re both excellent rim protectors. Difference is ability to defend on the perimeter, which Willice can do and which JaVale can’t, which is why he became unplayable. WCS 1.1 steals per game. McGee 0.5 steals per game.
Boogie is not even ready to play yet and who knows how well he can play and Cacok is still just a G-Leaguer. Lakers need to invest in a legitimate starting center and McGee, Howard, or Cousins are not that. There is no greater need on the roster right now. Fortunately, there are some excellent options available in free agency.
Definitely. Plenty of fish, lots of time.