The Los Angeles Lakers have been overwhelmingly positive about their roster publicly and how they believe they can get the best out of the players under new head coach JJ Redick.
As B/R’s Eric Pincus reported, though, the team is aware of a need at a key position.
“After the presser (with Redick and general manager Rob Pelinka), the Lakers privately clarified to B/R that they recognize adding a center with more girth is a priority,” he wrote. “Until then, the team must get by with who they have, including two-way bigs Colin Castleton and Christian Koloko.”
The current depth chart has Anthony Davis starting at center but the nine-time All-Star has repeatedly expressed his desire to play less at the position. Sources told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin in September 2023: “Davis made it clear to the organization he wanted to have more support at center so he wouldn’t have to play so much five during the regular season.”
Perhaps Redick was able to convince Davis it was in the best interest of the team and the system he has in store for the organization for him to play at the five position. Even if that is the case, injuries have plagued the former No. 1 overall pick throughout his tenure with the team.
Davis played in all but six games a season ago, the most of his Lakers career, but he has otherwise played 60 or more just one other time.
The lack of depth behind Davis hurts the ability of both the Lakers and LeBron James, to ultimately add another championship to their resumes.
Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood are listed as backups to Davis on the depth chart but both have struggled with their own injuries, which allowed them to play in just 29 and 50 games respectively in 2023.
Castleton and Koloko have started 19 games between them and do not have the experience to be the only consistent depth at a key position for a team looking to take advantage of James’ leadership and star by winning now.
There is an option out west for the Lakers to explore, though.
Robert Williams III has played in 215 games and started 97 of them for the Boston Celtics and Portland Trailblazers in his NBA career, averaging 20.5 minutes, 7.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks.
He also finds himself third on the depth chart behind Deandre Ayton and first-round draft pick Donovan Clingan.
Finding a way to acquire him and bring him in as a backup to Davis, or even take the load off of him and allow the superstar to flex his skillset at power forward from time to time, would strengthen the roster as a whole but also give the Lakers some piece of mind at a center position that it will need to get the most out of to compete for their 18th NBA title.
The alternative is to go with the pieces the team already has in place, and while Vanderbilt and Wood will be integral to the success of the organization in the upcoming year, the team can not risk depending on them or even Davis given their injury histories.
Last year, the team learned the significance of having quality depth when injuries ultimately undid their chances of hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. It is not a lesson they can afford to learn twice.