LAKERS Inquired About ATLANTA's OKONGWU [*]

He became the starting center this year.

He was a surprise producer of both points and rebounds for my Fantasy Team last year...

An extraordinary rebounder as well a lob threat, I think he would be a great fit, but why would Atlanta give him away unless the Lakers lose a core piece to do so?

He is real short for a center at 6'9". Maybe they need to look for a seven footer or taller with a body weight of around 260 lbs or more. You got to have some body weight to mix it with centers like Jokic or Gobert, Towns or other Bigs. At 6'9" he is no taller then LeBron.

For me it's about effectiveness and he tends to be a rebounding beast. If the Lakers go for a traditional center, it's going to require the loss of Knecht and a Core player, then the Lakers will spend the entire season with a gap in some other position. JJ screwed up by over-shortening the rotation during the playoffs and failing to give the bench some run and the starters more rest. Hindsight is easy of course but he's clearly too intellectual to be a successful coach if only compared to the perennial best for example Phil Jackson who would quote philosophical passages during the games and allow players to be themselves. Assuming JJ will remain the coach for awhile, and that he continues trying to control outcomes, he will need a specific type of player to be effective. Role players thrive, ironically, when playing for coaches like JJ because they prefer for someone else to do the thinking primarily. This is why they play a role rather than becoming an individual star! To get a star Center, the Lakers will have to give up a lot, and who would that be anyway other than Gafford or Lively whom are Middle Class versions of Jaxson Hayes? The Lakers are now tied to Luka, unless he decides to go back to Dallas, so they are going to give him his Center of choice. Okongwu is a starting caliber center who could be used in an upbeat format which is far more consistent with who the Lakers are historically. Luka himself is not a true Laker stylistically, with his slowed-down, half-court control style. For me, I'd love to see the Lakers swap Luka and AD back again and go for an easier to acquire PG and role playing center than....

Well the Lakers are desperate for a player who can play the five spot and I know they will end up giving up to many key players that are with the Lakers right now. So I think if they are going to give up key players they should look at the over all picture. It is a no brainer to keep on thinking that LeBron is going to play for ever. HE WILL NOT! Trade him while he still has some value. Any team that did not show a good showing towards winning a championship Failed and will be shifting their rosters. The Knicks will not win a championship in my opinion with Bronson doing most of the shooting, so maybe Towns might be up for grabs, Gobert is not a bad center with a team like the Lakers, Reid who plays center for the Timber Wolves even he is short at 6'9" can play very good. Lakers had thought about getting him at one time. Or go over seas to get a center.

A lot is being posted on the Lakers trading Reaves, Rui and draft picks for a center. Again too much to give up for two real good players the Lakers team has right now. Lopez used to be a Laker, but all he wanted to do is being around the three point line like a guard would be. Maybe he has changed his ways of playing the game. But I still think Pelinka should find a trade which includes LeBron. You can not show too much loyalty with a player for ever. This is a business!

The Celtics are going to trade away the Unicorn Kristaps Porzingis. He was no help at all in the playoffs and he is always getting hurt. So that should be a red flag for the Lakers even though he has been mentioned as a trade possibility

There will be many in the trading block. Study and chose a good one..

If the Lakers trade Reaves and Rui, I will probably become an Atlanta hawks fan...

I still think that a lot of teams will want to shed down some of the crazy contracts they are paying some of these players. And in my opinion the only good team that is solid to win the championship this season will be OKC. The Knicks have a player who is good, but wants the ball too much and that is Bronson. They will not win with a player like that. He does not share the ball with the most dominate player in Towns, not enough anyways. OKC plays team all the way. The Timber Wolves have the team to win it all also, but too much Antman. Another greedy player with that team. The Pacers just do not have enough to win. And a lot of these teams reminds me of the Lakers team, too much LeBron demanding the ball all the time. And that is also a problem with two Alpha dogs in LeBron and Luka, they are both competing for dominance. You can only have one Alpha and now it should be Luka because of his age. LeBron should accept being the second in command if he decides to accept that role? I doubt it!

So Pelinka should wait and see what is available, and do not give up the farm. Add one piece at a time. Remember LeBron will be 41 and could help another team. So his value is still there, but who ever gets him is like gambling.

I don't disagree with any of that. The problem with the older players is generally defense even if their shot is still falling. OKCs defense is spectacular. They have a mindset to step in no matter who the player or whatever the position. They auto-help each other and they have youthful legs. The Lakers and Golden State could never compete with this even if their offense was running on 8 cylinders. Having said that, Luka's focus is not defense either and our top defenders are weak offensively. This makes Rui the MVP given his capacity to play both ends of the floor and keep up with the young teams. LeBron has his moments and is amazing, truly, in general and for being 40 years old (I'm recalling an array of incredible blocks he made near the end of the season), but he cannot maintain that steadily and why would the Lakers expect him too? Seeking out a center and plugging them into a slot is NOT going to solve what I just described. The Lakers sacrificed a balanced team by trading away so many players to get superstars, and then, they traded away AD, their defensive anchor for Luka, a subpar defensive player. Why would the Lakers expect anything else but allowing a lot of points? Having said that, amazingly, there was about a month stretch during the season where the Lakers defense was number 1 in the league. I suspect this occurred when JJ was using his bench and a balanced attack. As the season moved forward and after the Luka trade, he started using smaller lineups until the infamous playoff game where the starters played the entire second half! JJ did a good job other than this decision to extremely shorten....

New Orleans traded up, using a 2026 first round pick amazingly, for Derek Queen, a Center.

Perhaps they will play Queen and Missi at the same time or perhaps they will trade Missi.

Given the speed and energy the Lakers have drafted, including RJ Davis from UNC for the Summer League, Missi might be the best fit of all.

Can't help but remember Thomas Bryant, who stupidly asked for a trade, and has been riding the pine mostly ever since. He's an exceptional back-up center and also brings the energy.

At this time it still seems that Okongwu and Gafford are still the likely best options...

I think Okongwu, a rebounding monster, would fit very well with the Lakers and Luka, assuming Doncic remains a Laker and does not return to the point-guardless Dallas...

If I were the Lakers I would do two realistic trades. If Miami truly wants to shed Wiggins contract for expiring deals, trade Rui and Maxi plus a second round pick for Wiggins. Then I would trade Knecht, Vando and a 1st for Okongwu. Resign Hayes for the minimum and use MLE on a wing (Brown or Trent). Grab another wing for Vet min.

Luka/Gabe/Bronny

Reaves/MLE

Wiggins/Thiero/Vet

LeBron/DFS

Okongwu/Hayes

I still would take Ayton over all those mentioned. I always liked his game when he was with the Sun.

Atlanta just resigned Capela, so they have not yet committed to Okongwu...

The only thing I have on Okongwu is that he is only 6'9", that is as tall as LeBron and you know that a 7' center has too much of a height advantage. But if the Lakers can get Ayton, he is a true seven footer I believe. Now as a back up center I would keep Jaxson Hayes. He played pretty good most of the regular season, a crowd favorite also. He did not play much in the playoffs, I guess because the Wolves were all so physical and tall. But that was JJ. Redick big mistake playing the same group too long and they got real tired.

Lopez is not a bad center either, but he is mostly a perimeter player, did not like mixing it up with Big's either just like AD.

Would you take Deandre Ayton over Okongwu? Ayton was bought out and there’s definitely buzz about it. He clears waivers tonight.

Well Ayton used to be a very good player when he was with the Sun, but when he got shipped to Portland he did not like it and he was a problem with that team according to the coach. He claimed he was late to catch planes when they had games away, and that he was also a problem getting along with the players. So I am not sure what happened to the player who used to be one of the best centers in the NBA. Obviously he was not happy with what was happening around his career and done this to get moved some where else. So he will be available sometime today. He is a legitimate seven footer. Lopez is already taken, and so is Capela.

The trading with Ainge in Utah? He was a Celtics for many years and he would love to put it to the Lakers. He actually would want five players for one center that he wants to get rid off. What I have read is that he is not as good as some other players available. But Ainge would be hard to deal with if he is still with the Jazz.

He opted in for $8.1M...

Okongwu is a fringe star player IMO...

Jax is a free agent.

Very difficult situation especially given Bron's BS where he is not speaking to the Lakers yet, I presume, he's waiting to see what they do.

Lakers, go get Kawhi and say bye to LeBron... Silence under the circumstances is unreasonable...

Ayton did not fit with the Laker system, and as I posted before, the Lakers need a seven footer. Look around the NBA, all teams have seven foot or taller centers. OKC has three or four seven footers, Spurs has a seven foot five center in Wemby. So getting a six foot nine center is no better. A tall center will shoot over those shorter players.

Ayton is a true seven footer, but his feet seemed like they were glued to the floor. If they can not find a tall center in this country, go over seas. Seems like several teams in this country were successful on such a move. Nuggets, Spurs etc.

Big day tomorrow. My fingers are crossed for Kessler. We need another white guy… just kidding. I just like him.