1. Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel is not the no. 1 center that the Los Angeles Lakers could sign this offseason as he leaves a bit to be desired in the rebounding department. While he is a fine rebounder, he is not good as some of the other options despite his defensive prowess and his size.
He is also not that big of a scoring threat but that really is not a problem as that is not what the Lakers need out of the position and LeBron always maximizes centers offensively.
Noel is elite defensively. He made the most of the time he was given in the New York Knicks’ rotation last season and put together truly elite numbers. If the Lakers want someone to protect the rim then they should look no further than Noel.
Noel averaged a staggering 2.2 blocks in 24.2 minutes per game. Minutes in which he and AD share the court would be extremely frustrating for other teams. It would be nearly impossible to get to the basket and with Davis’ ability to defend the perimeter, the Lakers could keep up with small-ball lineups.
Not only did he block shots at a great rate but he was one of the best defensive players in the league analytically as well. Noel finished the season with a 3.5 defensive box plus/minus, which was the second-highest in the entire league behind only Matisse Thybulle.