Lakers Insider reveals Rob Pelinka has eyes set on 3 centers as Anthony Davis' backup, including $30.2M million international star
Anthony Davis has been on a tear this season, averaging a career-high 31.2 points per game. However, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is still looking to add some depth to the team's roster. According to Dave McMenamin, there are a few big men who LA could target via the trade market.
While the team started off the season strong, winning three straight, they then went just 1-4 over their next five games. Although they've bounced back with back-to-back wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors, the team is still seventh in a stacked Western Conference.
With 72 more games to go this season, Pelinka is reportedly eager to bolster the team's frontcourt depth. He is looking to acquire a notable backup big man like Jonas Valančiūnas, who is on a three-year, $30.2 million contract with the Wizards.
During the latest episode of "The Hoop Collective" podcast, uploaded on November 13, McMenamin said (Timestamp 19:00):
"It's kind of been a nightly exercise here for the Lakers as they play the opponent. You're looking at Detroit's roster like, 'Oh, could Jalen Duren or Isaiah Stewart be that guy?' You look at Valančiūnas certainly is a name that's legitimately still on the Lakers' radar. We'll have to see how Washington's season goes.
"We have Portland having a really terrible start to the year, but Time Lord's back in the mix: Could Robert Williams be someone the Lakers could acquire? Another realistic name -- you look at Brooklyn, they've been very competitive thus far, but ... Nic Claxton could be a guy in the mix for the Lakers."
Anthony Davis confirms he won't miss time after sustaining eye injury, assures fans he will play Wednesday
While Anthony Davis has been averaging a career-high 31.2 ppg, the concern with the big man since joining the Lakers is his health. Up until last season, when Davis played 76 games, he hasn't played more than 65 games in a single season with LA.
After missing a game due to heel soreness this season, many fans were concerned when Anthony Davis exited Sunday's game against the Raptors after being poked in the eye.
With the team looking to pick up their third straight win on Wednesday night against a Western Conference rival in the Memphis Grizzlies, tonight's game is a high-stakes affair. On Tuesday, after practicing with the team, Anthony Davis assured media members that he wouldn't miss time due to the injury.
In addition, he also shot down talk that he would be wearing protective goggles going forward. He said that unless a doctor orders him to wear them, he prefers not to:
“The eye is fine. ... I wore goggles for three years when I was younger. I just don’t want to, to be honest. Obviously, the doctors said I didn’t have to. Now, if it gets to a point where a doctor’s orders are to (wear them) … if it gets to that point where my eye doctor tells me that I need to wear them, then, of course I will. But I’ve been cleared to go out and play without them.”
With Anthony Davis active for tonight's game, only time will tell whether or not LA is able to make it three straight as he continues his MVP-caliber season.