Lakers Can't Prioritize Bigs over Wings in Trade Talks amid Latest NBA Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers are seeking out help at the center spot.

That's not a new addition to the NBA rumor mill, but it's a current report regardless.

As ESPN insider Shams Charania relayed during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the Lakers "are actively looking for a big man."

While it's true this team lacks depth at the center spot behind Anthony Davis, the Lakers can't afford to overinvest in what may well become a niche role (at best) come playoff time.

Normally, that wouldn't be much of a worry, as backup interior bigs have often been devalued in the modern, pace-and-space NBA. This season, though, "a number of teams" are on the hunt for "a serviceable big" making this "a pretty strong seller's market," per Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times.

In other words, unless market conditions change, L.A. would have to give up an asset of actual value (or two) to fill this spot. And since the Lakers aren't working with the strongest asset collection to begin with—they only have two future first-rounders to trade, and their young players not named Dalton Knecht figure to hold limited appeal across the Association—that would restrict their ability to address other needs in trades.

That becomes a potentially major issue given the strong possibility this team will have to upgrade other areas to get this roster to a championship level.

The Lakers appear woefully short on two-way players in their perimeter collection. And that's an archetype that maintains its value (if not increases it) come playoff time. A backup big, meanwhile, might struggle to stay on the floor in the postseason. Last season, for instance, L.A.'s only center other than Davis to log any playoff minutes was Jaxson Hayes, who played 24 minutes across four contests.

Could someone like Brook Lopez or Jonas Valančiūnas handle a bigger role? In theory, sure, but it would be matchup-dependent since neither is the fleetest of foot and could be exposed defensively away from the basket. Given the mismatch-focused nature of playoff game-planning, those are the kinds of bigs who might get schemed off the floor.

And that's all assuming the Lakers even have enough trade assets (and the willingness to let them go) to bring either big man to Hollywood.

Two-way perimeter players, meanwhile, are invaluable for helping teams stay one step ahead of the opposition's strategy. They shouldn't have glaring limitations on either end of the floor, so there would be nothing for other teams to expose.

The worry with the Lakers is that they don't have enough of those players to get by as currently constructed. D'Angelo Russell is all offense, no defense. Cam Reddish and Gabe Vincent are feisty defenders who pose no real threat at the other end. There are a few players who can sometimes toe the line between both ends effectively—Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, (theoretically) Max Christie, (hopefully) Knecht—but not enough of them to build a contending-level supporting cast.

This problem isn't unique to the Purple and Gold, by the way. You could throw a dart at a list of the league's 30 teams, and chances are you're hitting one that covets some additional two-way help on the perimeter.

It isn't easy to find readily available two-way wings, nor cheap to acquire the few that exist. Two first-round picks weren't enough to pluck Dorian Finney-Smith away from the Brooklyn Nets at last season's deadline, for instance.

That's why the Lakers must be extra cautious about giving up assets for a backup big man that might be needed to land a needle-moving wing. In a perfect world, they'd be able to scratch both itches. In reality, they may not have the trade cachet needed to land both in this seller's market.

If the choice boils down to a center or a wing, then, that feels like an obvious answer. And it's not the one the Lakers are reportedly pursuing.