Rising Bulls stud big man 'has some fans' within Lakers organization
· Yahoo Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers have done lots of work this summer to remodel their roster around Luka Doncic after LeBron James and several other rotation players left. But that doesn't necessarily mean their current roster is the one they will take with them into training camp when the summer ends.
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They still don't have a legitimate starting two-way wing or forward, and they reportedly are looking for another serviceable center to back up Walker Kessler. Of course, by this point in the offseason, the pickings are slim, either via free agency or trade.
Dan Woike of The Athletic outlined the Lakers' options as far as picking up another big man, and he noted that Jalen Smith of the Chicago Bulls "has some fans" within the Lakers organization, while also adding the concerns that would come with acquiring him.
"Smith has some fans within the organization because he plays with motor and has worked himself into a pretty good outside shooter," Woike wrote. "But Smith is expensive (one-year, $9.5 million remaining on his deal) and undersized at 6 foot 8. The previous Bulls’ regime was a fan of his, which puts his actual availability into question."
Smith, 26, was the No. 10 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and can play both the 4 and 5 positions. This past season, he averaged 10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 20.7 minutes a game while making 37.3% of his 3-point attempts. He has a wingspan of at least 7-foot-1, and while he isn't a freakish athlete, he has solid athleticism and runs the floor well.
Based on what Woike reported, one has to wonder if the Lakers could go after him if they strike out on Jonathan Kuminga, whom they're still pursuing according to multiple reports.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Rising Bulls stud big man 'has some fans' within Lakers organization