2. The center position as a whole
I know the common narrative is that traditional centers are a thing of the past. Still, when you look at the Lakers’ current roster, you don’t see a true, starting-caliber center. Some may brush it off as a non-issue, but there’s reason for concern.
Despite the Lakers’ exceptional defense from a season ago, their lack of a true rim protector hurt. Brook Lopez was an offensive-minded player, and Julius Randle wasn’t a consistently disruptive presence in the paint. The expectation was that Los Angeles would address the position this offseason. Unfortunately, that never really happened.
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JaVale McGee was brought in, but he’s better served in a bench role. The same could probably be said for Ivica Zubac, who’s flashed upside but has yet to put it all together. They’re the only true centers currently on the roster.
You could make the case that both James and Moritz Wagner could see minutes at the 5 in small-ball lineups, and you’d probably be right. That’s far from a solve-all at center, though. LeBron’s defense has waned in recent years, and Wagner’s biggest question mark right now is on that end of the court. Neither can be relied on to provide a reliable defensive presence down low.
The center position is the dip Magic forgot when he went to the store to prepare for his party. On the surface, it’s just dip. But in the grand scheme of things, isn’t the party going to suck without something to dunk your chips into? A party with bland, mouth-drying chips is no party at all.
It’s a misconception that the center position is no longer important. Even the Golden State Warriors went out and signed DeMarcus Cousins this offseason. The point is that having a quality starter at the 5 is key to being competitive.
Just ask the Houston Rockets (Clint Capela), Boston Celtics (Al Horford), Utah Jazz (Rudy Gobert), New Orleans Pelicans (Anthony Davis), Oklahoma City Thunder (Steven Adams), Minnesota Timberwolves (Karl-Anthony Towns), Philadelphia 76ers (Joel Embiid), Indiana Pacers (Myles Turner) or Toronto Raptors (Jonas Valanciunas) if you don’t believe me.