The Los Angeles Lakers badly need a starting-caliber center, and they have been looking for help at that position for some time now.
They lacked a legitimate backup behind Anthony Davis during Davis’ last few seasons with them, and once he was sent away in the Luka Doncic deal, they suddenly had a Grand Canyon-sized hole at that position. They had to survive with Jaxson Hayes, who is thin as a reed and not a consistent defensive presence, as their only true 5 on a standard contract since acquiring Doncic.
The Lakers did make a real effort to plug that hole, however. They tried to land rising Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, but that attempted trade was rescinded when he failed his physical. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin said on “Straight Fire” with Jason McIntyre that they also looked into trading for Onyeka Okongwu of the Atlanta Hawks.
“Before the Mark Williams trade, and I can’t tell you all the names on that list but I actually assume he was one of the names on the list that Rob Pelinka presented to Luka because I do know the Lakers made a call to the Hawks around the trade deadline about Okongwu,” McMenamin said.
Okungwu, 24, is 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, and he reportedly has a wingspan of 7-foot-2. The No. 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, he has been starting to emerge as an impact player over the last year or two.
This season, he averaged 13.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 27.9 minutes a game. He’s a good finisher around the rim and possesses strong athleticism, as well as a solid motor, especially on the boards.
He will make $15 million next season, so he could be a relatively inexpensive get for Los Angeles, at least in terms of the players it would have to give up.
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