Lake Show Life
Fansided

5 players the Los Angeles Lakers could bring in to help Marc Gasol

By Luca De Angelis

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 27: Marc Gasol #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers tries to dribble past Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center on January 27, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 27: Marc Gasol #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers tries to dribble past Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center on January 27, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
(Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Robin Lopez

It feels like Robin Lopez has been an NBA player for 20 years, yet every mascot’s worst enemy is only 32 years old.

Due to starting center Thomas Bryant tearing his ACL and backup center Mo Wagner contracting COVID, Lopez has been receiving court-time on an awful Washington Wizards team but is definitely not part of the team’s long-term plans.

$7.3 mil seems like a gaudy seasonal salary figure for a backup, but Lopez’s contract expires after this season, making him an attractive target for contenders who need a short-term boost and could use the salary relief next season.

Robin Lopez hasn’t been a full-time starter since 2017-18, but the Los Angeles Lakers don’t need him to be that guy. They need him to set hard screens (ranked 7th in screen-assists per 36 mins), play physical defense (graded above-average in 2019-20 by most advanced metrics according to BBall Index), and occasionally hit the open three (shooting 42.9% on 0.5 attempts per game this year).

Despite not blocking many shots these days, Lopez is still a capable rim protector, ranking third in contested two pointers per 36 minutes on the season. This isn’t just a product of a small sample size. In 2019-20, he led the league in adjusted rim points saved per 36 minutes, as well as being elite at rim deterrence (98th percentile), % of shots at the rim contested (99th percentile), and rim contests per 75 minutes (98th percentile).

In terms of intangibles, Lopez has a reputation of showing an aptitude for getting under the skin of opponents, much like Howard did to Jokic in the Western Conference Finals last season. Over the course of a seven-game series, those types of role-players often prove to be invaluable.

Home/Lakers News