The Los Angeles Lakers could be active in the coming weeks with the NBA trade deadline approaching. They are looking to repeat as NBA champions and could look to make some moves to upgrade the end of their roster. One potential target could be Sacramento Kings center Hassan Whiteside.
Los Angeles has one of the deeper teams in the league, but rival executives are under the belief they will make some changes to their roster before the season is through. The front-court is the area those executives believe the Lakers will look to make some upgrades.
This offseason, the center position underwent an overhaul. Los Angeles saw Dwight Howard leave in free agency and traded JaVale McGee to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell replaced them on the roster, but the same impact hasn’t been felt defensively. One player that could help in that area is Whiteside.
Whiteside is one of the players named that the Lakers could target in a trade to bolster their front-court. He has had his ups and downs during his NBA career, but he can get the job done in the paint.
For his career, Whiteside averages 11.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in only 26 minutes per game. His presence would be more in line with how the team did things last season with Howard and McGee. Whiteside also gives the team more insurance if they are unable to rely on Harrell in the postseason, an issue the LA Clippers ran into with the reigning Sixth Man of the Year award winner last season.
Playing on a minimum contract, Whiteside probably wouldn’t cost the Lakers too much to acquire from the Kings. Sacramento has other players that could replace his minutes and he has been in and out of the lineup throughout the season.
If Los Angeles is unable to work out a deal for Whiteside, there are other options in the front-court they could target. Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond are both on the way out from their current teams. DeMarcus Cousins is a free agent and given his familiarity with the organization, could be a target as well.
Should the Lakers really want to make a move at the center position, there are plenty of options including Hassan Whiteside.
