The Los Angeles Lakers are reeling after shedding within the first spherical to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Bobby Marks outlined their greatest offseason want.
The Los Angeles Lakers had their season sooner than they, and numerous the NBA world, anticipated. In 5 fast video games, the Lakers had been eradicated within the first spherical by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For the Lakers, the sequence was outlined by an absence of depth. JJ Redick performed solely his 5 starters within the second half of Recreation 4 and got here beneath fireplace for it, and 5 Lakers ended the sequence enjoying 150 minutes or extra, in comparison with solely three Timberwolves.
Whereas depth usually must be addressed by the Lakers, they performed middle Jaxson Hayes for under 31 complete minutes, and it’s clear that LA wants an enormous physique down low subsequent season.
This season, the Lakers made a blockbuster commerce so as to add Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, and instantly adopted that up by sending rookie Dalton Knecht, a 2031 draft choose, and a first-round swap to the Charlotte Hornets in alternate for middle Mark Williams.
Nonetheless, within the following days, Williams failed a bodily, and the commerce was reversed, inflicting an ungainly second for each groups as their outgoing gamers returned.
Nonetheless, had the commerce gone by way of, it’s not a assure that Los Angeles would have been any higher within the sequence.
“I’ve seen folks say this, that Mark Williams would have made a distinction on this sequence,” stated ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
“That’s not true. That’s not true. And I like Mark Williams as a participant, however defensively, he’s beneath common. Please, he would have given you an improve over Jaxson Hayes, however he wouldn’t have made a distinction on this sequence right here.”
Whereas Williams is a wonderful rebounder and scorer on the rim, he isn’t an open-floor menace, can’t area the ground, and isn’t a lot of a shot-blocker, all of that are areas the Lakers may have improved on.
Whereas Los Angeles has been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo, they’ll spend huge cash to re-sign LeBron James and don’t have the room so as to add the Greek Freak, though they’ve the draft capital so as to add strong role-players by way of commerce.
The Lakers have made it clear that Knecht shouldn’t be part of their long-term plans shifting ahead, and he might be rightfully disgruntled with the group.
Los Angeles has made it clear that they’re keen to commerce Knecht and a minimum of one choose for a strong middle, and their wants couldn’t be extra clear.
“You gotta exit and get a rim runner,” outlined Marks. “You gotta get a lob menace. You bought to get a man who can defend the paint. And you recognize what the bundle is so far as what it’s important to go on the market and do it.”
Whereas Antetokounmpo suits the invoice, gamers like Nic Claxon, John Collins, Walker Kessler, Robert Williams III (when wholesome), or Jakob Poeltl all match the asking value and might be dependable suits subsequent to Los Angeles’ stars.