The Lakers' new-look roster has promise and potential, and many people still feel they can make a deep run in this season's playoffs, despite their recent struggles.
However, it is an incomplete roster. Their center rotation is weak, which has forced Jaxson Hayes, an excellent backup, to be their starting 5, and it has also forced them to go small for the majority of every game.
Los Angeles tried to rectify this problem shortly after the Luka Doncic trade by agreeing to a deal in which it would've given up Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round draft pick and a 2030 pick swap for Mark Williams, a young, ascending center for the Charlotte Hornets. But the trade was rescinded when Williams' physical reportedly showed multiple concerning issues.
During a recent appearance on Bill Simmons' podcast, NBA reporter Chris Vernon said the Lakers will regret rescinding that deal.
“I think they’re gonna regret calling off the Mark Williams thing. Not that he’s like frigging Bill Russell, but my God, they have nothing at the rim. Nothing.
“I think Memphis had damn near 70 points in the paint last night. I mean there’s just [nothing] once you drive past them,. [Austin] Reaves, you can drive past and LeBron [James] you know, is not the defensive stalwart that he once was.”
“Maybe that’ll change to the playoffs… There’s nobody really there to dissuade you. They’ll play Jaxson Hayes, they’ll play Vando (Jarred Vanderbilt), they’ll play whoever…. Somebody that could get to the basket a lot, is gonna give them problems.”
As it stands, the Lakers have little, if any, rim protection, and that will likely be troublesome for them come playoff time. They were one of the NBA's best defensive teams in February and early March, but since then, it seems as if the rest of the league has found multiple cracks in that defense.
Everyone who knows basketball knows that the playoffs tend to come down to matchups. A matchup between the Lakers and a team such as the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets or Oklahoma City Thunder could be perilous for the Lakers and result in a quick exit for them due to their weak center rotation.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Analyst says Lakers will regret making one recent trade decision
