RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe Los Angeles Lakers ' biggest objective coming into this summer was making some sort of significant upgrade at the center position. Last season, they had the very skilled but inconsistent Deandre Ayton starting at that position and an energetic but very unskilled backup behind him in Jaxson Hayes.
On July 1, they nabbed Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz that cost them two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps. They later signed hybrid 4/5 Sandro Mamukelashvili and backup center Kevon Looney while trading Ayton to the Washington Wizards for two second-round picks and guard Jaden Hardy.
If the Lakers had struck out on Kessler, as well as on Jalen Duren, who was another big target of theirs, they would've gone after Mitchell Robinson, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic .
“While Los Angeles believes in Kessler and he was either near or at the absolute top of Doncic’s wish list, scarcity undoubtedly played a role in the cost the Lakers had to pay. Had it not been Kessler, the Lakers, according to team and league sources, would’ve likely tried to sign free agent center Mitchell Robinson, who left the New York Knicks to sign a three-year, $47.4 million deal with Boston.”
Robinson is a high-motor center who averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 19.6 minutes a game this past season for the NBA champion Knicks. There was at least one report in June that Los Angeles was preparing to offer Robinson a contract in the area of $15 million a year.
It looks like L.A.'s plan could've been to have Robinson back up Ayton, which could've worked to a certain extent. There were times this past season when Ayton was benched in the fourth quarter of a game, and Robinson could've held down the 5 spot well in such situations.
Instead, L.A. will have Kessler, one of basketball's elite rim-protectors and rebounders, manning the center spot, with Looney, who has long been a lunch-pail player and a strong rebounder and defender, as its backup at center.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Sources: Mitchell Robinson was Lakers' backup plan at center
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