Los Angeles Lakers: Assessing the impact of Andrew Bogut’s signing

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Andrew Bogut to a one-year deal on Monday to add another body to an already crowded frontcourt. In a downsizing league, can the Lakers appease everybody and not hinder development of the young centers?

The Los Angeles Lakers reached an agreement with big man Andrew Bogut on a one-year contract for the veteran’s minimum. Bogut fractured his left tibia moments into his first appearance with the Cleveland Cavaliers after starting the season with the Dallas Mavericks and joined Cleveland after reaching a buyout with the Philadelphia 76ers post-trade.

Bogut gives the Lakers a high-IQ player on both ends of the floor that is a skilled passer and elite interior defender. He has experience playing under head coach Luke Walton during their time with the Golden State Warriors and was a starter throughout his tenure there, including the 2014-15 NBA championship team. He knows the system and immediately becomes the Lakers’ top big man defender.

While most teams that lack interior defense would welcome Bogut’s services with open arms, are we sure the Lakers needed to bring in a fifth center? He joins Brook Lopez, Ivica Zubac, Thomas Bryant and Stephen Zimmerman at the center position in a league transitioning away from the traditional big man.

There are only a handful of minutes for slow-footed big men these days, so it will be interesting to see how coach Walton handles the balance between his short-contract vets and the young players in need of developmental minutes. Let’s take a look at Bogut’s on-court fit with the team and how his signing affects the younger big men.