NBA Rumors: Lakers urged to sign 6-time All-Star
The LA Lakers are in a commanding position to make a deep playoff run in the coming season after reaching the Conference finals last season.
However, there are still some roster spots that need to be filled in if the Lakers are going to win the Western Conference.
Despite the LA Lakers signing big man Anthony Davis to a three-year, $186 million contract extension, the center spot is not completely taken care of. Davis has expressed several times in the past that he prefers to play in the power forward position.
Given this situation, one NBA executive told Evan Massey of NBA Analysis Network a possible move for the Lakers.
Here is what the executive said:
“Blake Griffin is still out there and I think his best fit is the Lakers. He would be a perfect depth addition for L.A."
When the Detroit Pistons bought out Griffin in 2021, the Lakers were interested in signing him alongside other teams.
However, Griffin ended up signing with the Boston Celtics. He was a part of their roster last season and averaged 4.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 13.9 minutes per game.
He played a total of 41 games and shot 48.5% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc.
Blake Griffin, the former No. 1 pick, is not the All-Star player that he once was. However, he does have value as a rotation piece for the Lakers similar to the likes of Dwight Howard who helped the Lakers win in the bubble season.
Griffin could bring physicality to the Lakers bench while Anthony Davis gets his much-needed rest.
As for Griffin, he has embraced his role as a rotation player and has already shown that he can play well under the spotlight in Los Angeles during his time with the LA Clippers.
There is no doubt that he would be open to returning to Los Angeles and playing to win a championship in the 2023-2024 season.
Who is the LA Lakers center for the upcoming season?
The LA Lakers' biggest weakness at the moment is potentially their center position. The reason behind this is the unwillingness of Anthony Davis to fully buy into the center role. While Davis will most likely be the starting center for the Lakers, it is not the position that he wants to ideally play.
The Lakers lack depth when it comes to their center position. Jaxson Hayes is the only player on the Lakers roster who is a true center. Hayes was the No. 8 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and is yet to reach his potential.
Thus far, Hayes was part of the New Orleans Pelicans but will feature on the Lakers roster for the 2023-2024 season. That said, there is no telling how much play time he will get despite rumors of Hayes being a potential starter next season.
Last season, Hayes averaged 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game on 55.1% shooting from the floor in 13.0 minutes per game. In LA, Hayes would have a fair chance to develop his game further and could contribute off the bench.
If the Lakers do end up signing Griffin though, it would add more depth to their center position. More so, Griffin would be a great veteran presence for Hayes which could result in his game improving significantly.