The Los Angeles Lakers were able to clinch a guaranteed 2025 NBA Playoff berth as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record, but some of their more glaring deficiencies could lead to a disappointing elimination.
Los Angeles finished as a top-3 seed despite a pronounced lack in center depth, which has led to the group averaging a collective 42.4 team rebounds which ranks at No. 26 in the Association.
The pairing of Luka Dončić and LeBron James has produced positive results, but their lack of rebounding prowess could heavily affect the group in a playoff series against some of the best frontcourt competition that the West has to offer.
In an effort to remedy this issue for a discounted price, it’s plausible that the Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka could look to add current Philadelphia 76ers’ center and all-time great rebounder Andre Drummond to the roster in free agency.
Though Drummond could be a perfect candidate to fill in spot minutes and crash the glass on both sides of the floor for Los Angeles, the 13-year veteran would first need to decline a $5 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent.
If Drummond were to decline the deal in an effort to land on a competitive roster, he could instantly become one of the more underrated big men on the market. In just 18.8 minutes for the 76ers, the 2-time All-Star contributed 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting an even 50.0% from the field in 40 contests.
Admittedly, the 31-year-old has lost a step since his prime years as a member of the Detroit Pistons, where he took home four rebounding titles and averaged 13.9 rebounds spanning eight seasons with the organization from 2012-2020.
After his tenure with Detroit came to a close, he joined James for a short stint in Los Angeles during the 2020-21 season after he was signed for their impending playoff push. Across 21 games for the storied franchise, he averaged an 11.9-point, 10.2-rebound double-double in 24.8 minutes of action.
By prospectively pairing Drummond with both James and Dončić, there’s a chance that he could still prove to be a decent lob threat for two of the greatest passers the game has ever seen while relentlessly creating second-chance opportunities for his team on offense and ending opponents’ possessions by clearing away defensive boards.
Drummond certainly won’t be Pelinka’s first choice regarding which center talent he’d like to court this offseason, but if push comes to shove, it’s likely that he could fit in easily on a team desperately in need of assistance with cleaning the glass.
