Lakers News: Darvin Ham Open To LA Signing Mo Bamba Replacement

The reserve big man could be out the rest of the year.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham was recently asked whether or not he would be amenable to LA bringing in a short-term replacement for reserve center Mo Bamba, currently sidelined for at least four weeks with a high left ankle sprain.

“We’ll see,” said Ham. “We’re constantly exploring different ways we can improve our ball club, make no mistake about it. But as of right now, I think we’re versatile enough. We got different guys that we could put in different places. We can play small. We can play big even with this current roster as it stands. So we’re taking it day by day and if something makes sense, then maybe we’ll explore it. But if not, until then, we’ll keep our options open.”

When team vice president of basketball operations and chief front office decision-maker traded veteran guard Patrick Beverley to the Orlando Magic for Bamba, Davon Reed and two second-round draft picks as a part of a four-team deal that also saw former reserve center Thomas Bryant shipped out to the Denver Nuggets.

In theory, Bamba has the outlines of a solid 3-and-D center, but like another new addition, Rui Hachimura (on paper, a tantalizing a catch-and-shoot three-point marksman combo forward with some athletic upside, but in practice, a woefully erratic scorer), his tenure as a Laker thus far has been somewhat underwhelming, apart from the injury.

Through seven games with Los Angeles, Bamba is averaging 4.4 points on .417/.333/.545 shooting splits, 5.3 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 assists a night, and even when he was healthy, typically saw his rotation spot occupied by reserve power forward/center Wenyen Gabriel. 

Essentially, then, LA is without its third-string center, for all intents and purposes. There are not a ton of appetizing options still available for the Lakers at this point. Serge Ibaka and ex-Lakers Dwight Howard and (technically) DeMarcus Cousins are probably the three top contenders. 

The Lakers may be better suited using a 10-day contract on a younger player at another position with a bit more upside, like forward Juancho Hernangomez or former top 15 draft pick Justin Jackson.

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