1. Kenneth Faried
The name that pops up most on social media that Lakers fans want to sign is the “Manimal,” Kenneth Faried. Early in his career, he was one of the most exciting dunkers in all of basketball and could rebound with the best big men in the game. What he lacked in size, he made up with his extreme athletic ability.
He is not the same high flying player that once got an invite to play with team USA, but he is still a guy that can compete for minutes on a contender in the NBA. Last season he was even a starter on the Rockets, a team with title aspirations that went to the conference semifinals.
Out of everyone on this list, Faried is the youngest and put up the best stat line from last season as well. His averages of 10.6 points and 6.8 rebounds do not exactly jump out, but his 21.3 player efficiency rating was one of the best for a role player in the entire NBA. Those two factors make him the best fit out of any of the available free agent big man that is available out there on the market.
Faried has also been known to be at his best when the team he is playing on his running at a fast pace, and the Lakers played at one of the quicker paces in the league last season. He will allow them to keep that style up, and would also be a better fit than most on this list to be able to defend multiple positions, to play against some of the league’s small-ball lineups.
With the harsh reality of the Cousins injury, it is almost a no brainer for the Lakers brass to look into signing Faried. He would be an exciting finisher to catch lobs from playmakers like James and Rondo, and he could take some of the pressure off of Davis on defense as well.
Not to mention he played a big role for the Rockets in the postseason, so he would be ready to contribute come playoff time.