The Los Angeles Lakers may be finding a solution to their center woes. According to the New York Times’ Marc Stein, the Phoenix Suns are in the process of buying out center Tyson Chandler and the Lakers are expected to be the favorites to sign the former NBA champion. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Chandler will sign with the team.
The Suns are in the process of buying out veteran center Tyson Chandler to make Chandler a free agent, league sources tell @NYTSports
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 3, 2018
The Lakers are expected to be at the front of the line to sign Tyson Chandler once he clears waivers, league sources say
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 3, 2018
As @TheSteinLine reports, center Tyson Chandler is getting a buyout with the Suns and will become a free agent upon clearing waivers. Chandler will sign with the Lakers, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 3, 2018
Chandler has not been the player he was for the Dallas Mavericks’ championship run in quite some time and has often looked disinterested in his tenure with the Suns. In seven games this season, Chandler is averaging 3.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in only 12.7 minutes per game.
For the Lakers, however, Chandler can be an almost perfect backup to plug up a hole that has arguably been the team’s biggest weakness through eight games. The Lakers have been a great team with starting center JaVale McGee on the court, holding teams to about 91 points per 100 possessions, but abysmal with him off of it.
Chandler could represent a solution to that problem. The Lakers have chosen to go small in their minutes without McGee but have had no success in doing so. Chandler, despite losing much of his athleticism at this point in his career, could be a rim protector for the second unit and allow McGee to play fewer minutes as he is more accustomed to.
The Lakers have an open roster spot and do not need to make any changes in order to sign Chandler.t
7 thoughts