Sub-Par Centers: The Hunt for the Lakers Big-Man

Demarcus Cousins’ recent ACL tear is his second major injury in 3 seasons and as a 6’11, 270 lb big-man, it will be tough for him to return to whatever form he had with Golden State last season, which was his first season back after his 1st major injury, a ruptured Achilles.

Cousins signed with the Lakers after what seemed to be an NBA market that was largely uninterested in him. He was joining a formidable Lakers team that he was essentially “filling out”, making him a member of the big three of LeBron and Anthony Davis. The big three is no more now, and the Lakers must turn to the open market to find a replacement center. Let’s look at the options.

Dwight Howard

The former Laker is in the twilight of his career and has struggled to stay on the court. Howard has played in just 9 games last season on a downtrodden Wizards team, putting up 12-9 on 25 minutes a night. The question is, is Howard good enough? Absolutely he is. People are acting like he hasn’t been a double-double machine his entire career. I mean hell, theScore posted “Dwight Howard still got it” Like he’s MJ coming out of retirement 16 years later. Give me a break.

Kenneth Faried

Kenneth Faried recently came off of a career year with the Rockets and no one is talking about it. People were bashing Faried for being an underwhelming big man who can’t produce and struggles defensively and yet here he is, putting up 13 a game and being able to play well on an offense that forced him to always be running and largely having to score within a couple seconds off the catch. While Faried isn’t great defensively and essentially has no outside game, the Lakers make up for it with everyone else on the floor. I say give Faried a close look.

Marreese Speights

I mean, ya okay, sure. Speights should be the 2nd to last or last option on this list, but I am putting him here because of the reports about him being one three options the Lakers are looking at. Speights is a guy who has low rebounding statistics, low block rates, a career FG% of 45, and a career average of 7.9 PPG. Speights in all senses is average. An upside to Speights is he will be cheap, and is a decent outside shooter, unlike most of the guys on this list.

Amir Johnson

Amir Johnson is the third-best option on this list. He is a reliable center who, like Howard, is in the twilight of his career, especially athletically. That doesn’t mean he still can’t play. Johnson played a deep bench role with the Sixers last season and played well when he was on. Johnson is trying to be what the modern NBA wants him to be, as he shot 30% from three last season. Not much can be said about Johnson aside from the fact that he’s just a reliable big man.

Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah has had a tough go in the NBA. From one of the best young centers with the Chicago Bulls to out of the league on the Knicks, Noah has had quite the career. He got the chance to revive himself with Memphis last season and showed that he can still ball. Noah put up 7-5 on 16 minutes a night in 42 games with the Grizz last season. Do I think Noah should be the Lakers starter? No. Do I think he could be a good bench piece? Yes, but I think he’s arguably one of the worst options on this list.

Honorable Mentions

Nene

Tyler Zeller

Eric Moreland