Adding Brandon Ingram with the second overall pick was a good start, but with depth issues in the front court, especially at the center position, adding a big man that can help on both ends of the court appears a priority.
Marc Stein used Twitter to report the team will reportedly make a push to sign Hassan Whiteside as the free agent market will open in July 1.
The 27-year-old has emerged as one of the best young centers in the game and this past year with Miami, he averaged 3.7 blocks and nearly twelve rebounds per game and considering he played less than 30 minutes per night, it’s easy to see the value he would bring to the Staples Center.
The seven-footer was drafted by Sacramento in the second round back in 2010, but after two seasons with the Kings and playing just 19 games, he was let go. The young man took his game to the NBA developmental league and then overseas, playing in Lebanon and China, honing his skills and learning how to play professional basketball.
His big break came in the 2014-15 season when Miami took a flier and signed the youngster to a contract. The former Marshall star responded, averaging 11.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 48 games, mostly off the bench and his game has taken off with the experience gained over this past season.
The LA Lakers have limited options in the paint, but plenty of good young talent and adding a big man that can help both in scoring and stopping the opposition would be a great step forward in their rebuilding process and with plenty of good basketball ahead, Whiteside would be a great fit for the ‘purple and gold’ as they look to move ahead without Kobe Bryant.
