Lakers insider reveals major 'worry' without Walker Kessler in lineup as he battles finger injury

Lakers insider reveals major ‘worry’ without Walker Kessler in lineup as he battles finger injury originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a major depth problem at the center position all summer, and it remains a clear concern. They traded for Walker Kessler to begin free agency, but after that, they only added Kevon Looney as another true center.

LA is still trying to figure out how to address the position, but nothing has materialized yet. The Lakers are monitoring the trade market for potential additions to their frontcourt depth.

“The Lakers are still monitoring the market for big men, team sources told The Athletic,” The Athletic’s Dan Woike reported. “They traded for Walker Kessler and signed Kevon Looney to play center, and Mamukelashvili can play the position, too. The team could address the position either by trade or signing, like with potentially adding Thybulle. The roster is currently at full capacity.”

During the preseason, Walker Kessler has been sidelined. On Thursday night, his absence became especially noticeable as LA struggled on the glass.

“The Kings are killing the Lakers on the glass, more than doubling them up in rebounds (11 to 5). They have four offensive rebounds and a few putbacks. That’s been an early concern in these non-Kessler lineups,” Lakers insider Jovan Buha wrote.

Looney is the backup center, but when he has to take a break, the Lakers become extremely thin at the position. Lakers insider Anthony F. Irwin made it clear that his biggest concern is the center depth behind Kessler.

“JJ may not be worried about Kessler’s finger injury but man I am really really worried about the centers behind Kessler in the rotation,” Irwin posted.

There is no doubt that the Lakers will need to address their frontcourt depth and look for additional true centers. If it is already a problem during the preseason, it could become an even bigger issue once the regular season begins.

The Lakers still have time to make a trade as they work to reduce their roster to the required size, and adding another center could help address this weakness. However, LA could have a serious problem on its hands if it cannot find a solution quickly.

More NBA news: