The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers have added some of the most interesting big men from this free agent class, continuing their arms race for championship contention.
What We Know:
- The Lakers really did not have to add much this offseason. They are the reigning champs and no other team has put together a roster that you can look at and say “that team is the clear-cut favorite”.
- That being said, they have lost some important role players to free agency and trade, and GM Rob Pelinka said the team is approaching the year with a “lack of complacency” and they want to be contenders for more than just a year or two. He made a big splash by signing Montrezl Harrell.
- Harrell is coming off the best season of his career and he’s the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. His value dipped after a subpar playoff run with the Clippers. The Lakers were able to court him away from their LA rivals with just a two-year $19 million deal.
- Harrell fits into Dwight Howard’s roster spot, providing athleticism and high-energy play. He’s not what Howard was on defense, but he’s a big improvement on offense as he was the Clippers’ third-leading scorer at 18.6 points per game.
- The Clippers were shocked to see Harrell walk across the hall to the Lakers, but they recovered quickly. They signed veteran Serge Ibaka to the same two-year $19 million deal and his fit on the Clippers is promising. He brings more size at the forward/center position and much better defense and shooting. He probably won’t put up the same numbers as Harrell, but there’s no doubt Ibaka will play into his role. It’s also a plus that he’s played with Clippers star Kawhi Leonard before and they both won a championship together in Toronto.
- Speaking of that 2019 Toronto Raptors championship team, Marc Gasol was also highly sought after by contenders. The Lakers quite literally swooped in at the last second to sign Gasol, trading away Javale McGee to clear the cap space. Both sides agreed to a two-year deal.
- Gasol is not the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA center he was years ago, but he still provides a lot on the court. He’s an NBA Champion and made several other deep playoff runs, so he has the experience that will pay off at the end of the season. He is also a gifted passer and can extend his shot out to the three-point line. At his age, he’s definitely lost a step on defense, but he’s still smart on that end and has the size to protect the paint.
- Gasol was originally drafted by the Lakers so this is like a homecoming for him. He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2007 for his older brother Pau. Pau Gasol cemented himself in Lakers history by winning two championships with Kobe Bryant. Marc Gasol will have his chance to win a Lakers title now.
The NBA is certainly starting to favor smaller players now, but the Lakers and Raptors have proved in the last two years that size still matters. Both LA teams added some key bigs this offseason which should help their title hopes.
