2. Richaun Holmes
Projected salary: $10mil-$17mil
Sacramento Kings C Richaun Holmes is coming off a career season in which he averaged 14.3 PPG / 8.6 RPG / 1.6 BPG while shooting 63.7% from the field and 79.4% from the line.
His most recent contract was also only two years / $9.4mil, meaning that entering his age 28 season, he’s going to want to get the first big payday of his career and likely price himself out of the Lakers’ budget.
However, suppose the Lakers can somehow find a way to afford Holmes. In that case, he instantly becomes the best pure C on the roster, providing a significant upgrade over the Drummond/Gasol/Harrell triumvirate.
Unlike Drummond, who is one of the worst finishers in the league amongst interior-based bigs, Holmes is clinical at the rim, with a “Finishing at the Rim” rating in the 96th percentile according to Bball Index.
Holmes is also an elite rim protector, grading in the 94th percentile for rim defensive FG% vs. expected and in the 84th percentile for Defensive LEBRON as per BBall Index.
Finally, Holmes is a great big for the pick and roll, with his screen assists per 75 possessions ranking in the 93rd percentile.
In a hypothetical lineup with Holmes, there are legitimate concerns about his fit next to Anthony Davis. However, let’s not forget that in the Lakers’ championship year, Davis started alongside JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard the whole season and played in lineups with them frequently.