J.J. Redick inherited the Lakers catch-22 situation: Anthony Davis is by far the Lakers’ best center, but Anthony Davis doesn’t want to play the five full-time.
Davis wants to play more next to a traditional center, someone who will absorb more of the physicality. Last season, Davis played 97% of his minutes at center, and the Lakers didn’t change the roster this offseason and add a big man, so more of the same awaits (especially with Christian Wood now missing the start of the season following knee surgery). Now comes this note from Dave McMenamin of ESPN when taking an early look at the big questions facing the Lakers this season.
One thing Davis has made clear to the Lakers, sources told ESPN, is his preference to play alongside another big more often.
That’s not how the Lakers will start the season. The Lakers can roll out some Davis with Jaxson Hayes minutes, but in a limited run last season, that pairing didn’t look great (-9.4 net rating), and it’s not the long-term answer.
Any long-term answer likely comes via trade, and ESPN’s McMenamin says to keep an eye on Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas.
One name to watch: Jonas Valanciunas of the Washington Wizards. [LeBron] James offered to take a pay cut to open up the full midlevel exception to sign the free agent big man, but he opted for more guaranteed money from a three-year, $30 million deal in Washington.
It’s worth noting here that McMenamin said Valanciunas opted for more guaranteed money. The deal he signed has a two-year guarantee of $20.3 million, and the third year, at $10 million, is non-guaranteed. This means the Lakers only offered one guaranteed year, or maybe just a partial guarantee in the second year. Should the Lakers have offered more if LeBron was willing to take a discount to sign him? Los Angeles may have been more focused on trying to figure out a sign-and-trade for Klay Thompson at the time, which proved another swing-and-miss by Pelinka and company.
Valanciunas is expected to be available after Dec. 15 and fits the mold for Los Angeles: An experienced traditional center, a big body who can score around the rim but space the floor as well (career 34.8% from 3). Valanciunas is guaranteed $9.9 million this season. The challenge is the Lakers will not be the only team looking for help at center, both the Pelicans and Knicks are expected to be suitors for traditional centers (the Pelicans let Valanciunas go after last season, they will not be in the market for him). Los Angeles can easily match salary for a trade with Gabe Vincent or Jared Vanderbilt, but the rebuilding Wizards will be asking for a first-round pick (likely protected) or quality young player as part of the package. Other centers, such as Nic Claxton of Brooklyn, likely are available as well, but again, the price will be about young players and picks to help out a rebuilding team.
Whether the Lakers are willing to meet that price will depend on where they stand and how the season looks in mid-December when Valanciunas and others become available. Whatever happens, it could end up being another season where Davis plays much more center than he likes.
