Thon Maker: Pass
If there is a role the Los Angeles Lakers completely missed last season was the stretch-five. After DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL, they never addressed that point, instead signing Dwight Howard.
This is an important role, especially next to AD, who wants to play as long as possible at the power forward. Although it has become more and more common in the NBA, there is still a short market for such kind of players, therefore any possible candidate needs to be taken in consideration.
Thon Maker is a fairly athletic 7-footer with three-point range set to hit free agency this Summ… ehm Fall. His thin frame is something he has been working on throughout this extended offseason and, anyway, he makes up with his mobility.
Once regarded as a young promise and drafted 10th overall in 2016, with a personality like Kevin Garnett labeling him a future MVP, Maker has been a disappointment since. Besides the (verified) doubts about his real age and upside, he failed to perform in his four seasons spent between Milwaukee and Detroit. So much the Detroit Pistons are not expected to exercise the qualifying offer on his rookie contract, thus making him an unrestricted free agent.
Though his status in the league would make him an enticing option to sign to a low-risk contract looking for possible development, Maker just does not feel good for the Lakers’ roster and the point they are at. As with Lin, they have no time for experimenting and tinkering, not certainly for what would be a long-term project which, as of now, does not give the impression to be a rewarding one.
Maybe three years ago, he would have represented an attractive option for the young and developing Lakers, but not today.