Lakers Should Target These FA Centers With AD Out

by Ben Cooper

The Lakers received difficult news on Sunday as star big man Anthony Davis will miss at least a month with a right foot injury.

Davis was in the midst of an MVP-caliber campaign, and losing him is detrimental to LA. The 29-year-old is averaging 27/12/3 with two blocks and a steal. Adding a big man with the open roster spot will help the rotation stay afloat with AD out.

Thomas Bryant, Wenyen Gabriel, and Damian Jones are the current bigs left for the team, and they should add depth.

There are a few options out there, including Demarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, and Tristan Thompson. 

Cousins is the biggest name left on the market. Although he is no longer the All-Star he used to be, he could be a solid role player with Davis out. Last season, Cousins played 48 games with the Bucks and Nuggets, averaging 9/6/2 while shooting 46% and 30.3% from three. 

The 32-year-old big man could provide some offense for the Lakers, which will be much-needed in AD’s absence. He also was on the team in the 2019-20 season but suffered a season-ending injury in the offseason.

Another option is Whiteside, who is a strong rebounder and shot blocker that shoots efficiently. The veteran center averaged 8/8/2 in 65 games with the Jazz in 2021. The almost two blocks stand out, as he only played 18 minutes per game. If Pelinka and the front office want to go with more of a defensive player, Whiteside is a great option.

Thompson could be a good fit as he has chemistry with LeBron. He is a rebounder and finisher at the rim. He played a big role for the Cavs during the 2016 championship. Reuniting with James could be a seamless transition and help LA get adequate production out of their bigs.

Thompson averaged 6/5/1 in 57 games, shooting 52.8% from the field.

The Lakers have some work to do, and adding one of these bigs would help improve their depth during this crucial stretch with Davis sidelined.

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