Players That the Lakers Should Re-Sign for Next Year
Mar 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Anthony Tolliver (43) guards Los Angeles Lakers forward Carlos Boozer (5) in the first half of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Next up is Carlos Boozer, who has taken an unfair amount of criticism ever since his later days in Chicago. There is no doubt that Boozer is one of the biggest defensive liabilities in the NBA, and his rebounding isn’t much better. Boozer is only 33 years old, which isn’t THAT old for a big man, but looks nowhere near like he did in his dominant Utah Jazz days. The problem with Boozer is that he has been asked to be a starting power forward over the last two years, which is simply unfair to his current self. Especially in Chicago, where defense is (or at least was now that Thibodeau is gone) the number one priority, Boozer was simply never able to live up to his expectations as a former all-star.
-== Best Lakers Draft Pick & Free Agent Pairings ==-
But just because Boozer cannot play any form of defensive whatsoever does not mean he can’t be a valuable piece to a playoff team. When one thinks of the best benches in the NBA, what comes to mind is the best scoring units, not the best defensive units. The only stat that is relevant in comparing second-units is simply points off the bench per game. Defense is nearly irrelevant when building a good bench, as a benches primary role is to at least maintain the lead that the starters create. Good offense, without having to worry about defense…sounds like Carlos Boozer! Boozer does not get enough credit as a solid offensive option, as he averaged 11.8 points per game last year on just a small decimal under 50% shooting. It also must be factored in that Boozer received less and less playing time as the tanking strategy became the top priority, which brought his scoring numbers down.
Some teams don’t even start a big man who can score the ball, let alone have one coming off the bench. If Boozer starts next year, many things would have to go wrong this offseason, but he can be a solid option off the bench as a scorer. He still has a very solid, high-arcing jumper, and could teach Randle a thing or two about the importance of a mid-range game.
Due to Boozer’s horrendous reputation around the league as being an atrocious defender, the Lakers should be able to bring him back without spending much money. Considering that the Lakers hope to build a dominant front court for the future with Julius Randle and this year’s draft pick, Boozer would be a solid backup big for a few years to come in off the bench and give them a scoring spark.
Next: Should Wayne Ellington Be Back?