Once the Lakers landed LeBron James this off-season there was plenty of speculation about how the team around him would be built, especially the center position. The Lakers let Brook Lopez go, drafted Moe Wagner in the first round, and signed former Golden State Warrior (and Nevada legend) JaVale McGee.
The team is currently suited with three centers on the roster, the two mentioned above, and third-year big, Ivica Zubac. With those three being the only traditional center options in the middle this leaves that position being the biggest wildcard on the team.
However, Magic Johnson seems to be pleased with the choices the team has moving forward and is excited to see how Luke Walton deploys the lineups this year.
During Johnson’s press conference he deferred most questions about how the lineups will be utilized this year, saying that Walton will handle those issues, but he noted that the Lakers have not had a player with McGee’s skill set in a while.
Adding a player that can run the floor, catch lobs, block shots, and play in the pick-and-roll will certainly benefit playmakers like LeBron James, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball.
With all the new acquisitions the Lakers made, especially at the center position, it will worth monitoring how Luke Walton exploits each players varying skill sets.
