5 free-agent centers the Lakers could sign to replace Dwight Howard

2. Hassan Whiteside

Hassan Whiteside is exactly what the Lakers have been looking for at the center position over the last few years and it is surprising that he has not ended up in Los Angeles yet. When you are looking up the definition of a rim-protecting, rebounding big that is limited in other areas of the game then you will see a picture of Hassan Whiteside.

Whiteside really benefited from coming around before the analytics movement in the NBA really started to be a thing. While analytics always existed, if Whiteside would have debuted three years later he would not have gotten the massive contract from the Miami Heat that he did.

Now, despite being mostly the same player that is just a bit older, Whiteside is only worth the minimum and has bounced around from team to team on the league minimum. If he were to sign with the Lakers it would be his fourth team in four years.

In 17.9 minutes per game last season, Whiteside averaged 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He is the best shot-blocking presence on his list and while you cannot play him next to Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook because of floor spacing, there is a fun, bigger lineup where the Lakers could put Whiteside next to AD and create a wall at the rim.

Whiteside would mostly play when Davis is off the court but it would be interesting to see a LeBron-Davis-Whiteside and two three-point shooters lineup. This is similar to what the team did during the 2019-20 season and Whiteside is better than either of the centers the Lakers had that season.

Speaking of those centers…