Lakers News: Former Grizzlies VP Thinks LA Needs To Upgrade Backup Center Position
As we put a bow on the 2022-2023 NBA season, we can briefly reflect on this past year for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Simply put, they very much surpassed expectations following this past year's trade deadline.
There were many heroes for their Lakers during their unlikely run to the Western Conference Finals this spring, and everyone from Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves to LeBron James and Anthony Davis put in great contributions.
The same cannot be said for Lakers backup center and soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Wenyen Gabriel.
The third-year big from Kentucky put up only modest numbers this season with 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest in the regular season, and lost essentially lost his spot in the Lakers rotation post-trade deadline.
He averaged just under four minutes per game for LA through their playoff run, and it seems his future could lie outside of Los Angeles.
The Athletic's John Hollinger didn't completely shut the door on a potential Gabriel return, but the former Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies stressed the need for the Lakers to make an upgrade at the backup center spot.
"Gabriel plays with tremendous energy, but he’s badly undersized for the middle at 6-9, 205 pounds, and hasn’t shown enough skill to warrant minutes on the perimeter. The Lakers likely need to look for an upgrade at backup five, but he has a chance of sticking around as a fifth big because he’s a mobile defender and plays so hard."
I tend to agree with the former executive's assessment, as even though Gabriel definitely plays with a high motor, I don't believe it's worth it to bring him back next season.
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