Everyone knows that the Los Angeles Lakers need help at the center position. Their lack of frontcourt size was their biggest weakness in their first-round playoff series versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it led to them getting badly outrebounded and exiting the playoffs in five games.
But other than a starting-caliber center, the Lakers have another pressing roster need: improved backcourt and wing depth. Come playoff time, the only backup guard or wing that head coach JJ Redick trusted enough to give meaningful minutes to was 6-foot-2 Gabe Vincent, who shot just 35.7% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range in the series versus Minnesota.
General Rob Pelinka acknowledged the need for more wing depth during a press conference the day after his team’s Game 5 loss.
“I think just solidifying our defensive core on the wings and just making sure that we have players that can defend the wing position,” he said. “That’s an essential need; we see it playing out in the playoffs. Anytime you can upgrade your defensive core on the perimeter, I think that’s gonna help.”
Late in the regular season, Los Angeles called up 6-foot-5 Jordan Goodwin from the G League, and he averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.7 minutes a game while hitting 38.2% of his 3-point attempts. But he was simply too green and too incapable to hold things down at the wing spot in the playoffs.
It remains to be seen if L.A., will end up successfully addressing its need for both a starting-level center and another capable wing, given its minuscule salary cap wiggle room and finite trade assets.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Rob Pelinka acknowledges Lakers need more depth at the wing spot
Everyone knows that the Los Angeles Lakers need help at the center position. Their lack of frontcourt size was their biggest weakness in their first-round playoff series versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it led to them getting badly outrebounded and exiting the playoffs in five games.
But other than a starting-caliber center, the Lakers have another pressing roster need: improved backcourt and wing depth. Come playoff time, the only backup guard or wing that head coach JJ Redick trusted enough to give meaningful minutes to was 6-foot-2 Gabe Vincent, who shot just 35.7% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range in the series versus Minnesota.
General Rob Pelinka acknowledged the need for more wing depth during a press conference the day after his team’s Game 5 loss.
“I think just solidifying our defensive core on the wings and just making sure that we have players that can defend the wing position,” he said. “That’s an essential need; we see it playing out in the playoffs. Anytime you can upgrade your defensive core on the perimeter, I think that’s gonna help.”
Late in the regular season, Los Angeles called up 6-foot-5 Jordan Goodwin from the G League, and he averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.7 minutes a game while hitting 38.2% of his 3-point attempts. But he was simply too green and too incapable to hold things down at the wing spot in the playoffs.
It remains to be seen if L.A., will end up successfully addressing its need for both a starting-level center and another capable wing, given its minuscule salary cap wiggle room and finite trade assets.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Rob Pelinka acknowledges Lakers need more depth at the wing spot
