The Los Angeles Lakers are in need of another center after the injury to DeMarcus Cousins. Could Spencer Hawes be a potential option?
Once DeMarcus Cousins went down with an ACL injury, it became time for the Los Angeles Lakers to start looking at other options to bring in at center. JaVale McGee will most likely be starting at center when the season starts.
However, the Lakers still need to bring in at least one more center to be a back up. The team has already started looking at a potential Dwight Howard reunion as well as Joakim Noah according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
The Lakers will probably bring in one of those veterans to fill in the backup position void.
Another option is to bring in Spencer Hawes of the South Bay Lakers, their G-League affiliate. Hawes is a 7’1 center, who was a top ten pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He spent three seasons with the Kings and four seasons with the 76ers, before bouncing around the Cavaliers, Clippers, Hornets and Bucks. After being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2017, he did not sign with a basketball team till March of 2019 with the South Bay Lakers.
Hawes played in nine games for the South Bay Lakers and averaged 14 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, 4 assists per game as well as one block and steal each. He also shot 45% from behind the arc. In his NBA career, Hawes is averaging 8.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and one block per game. Playoff experience is something else that Hawes has, playing in 34 games and starting 17.
Presumably Hawes will spend most of his season in the G-League with the South Bay Lakers. The Lakers could always call him up when they are in need of a center. Hawes would not be a backup for the Lakers, but he would be another option that is available for them.