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

By Jason Reed | May 11, 2022

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 18: Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up ahead of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on March 18, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

3. JaVale McGee

In the long list of mistakes that Rob Pelinka has made at the center position, there is the JaVale McGee trade from the 2020 offseason. Needing to make room to sign Marc Gasol, the Lakers essentially traded McGee for nothing to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That obviously did not work out as Gasol played really poorly in LA and would retire from the league altogether after the 2020-21 season. The team also brought in Montrezl Harrell (and eventually Andre Drummond) to replace Dwight Howard and that did not work either.

The team has already tried to recapture the magic of the 2020 team by re-signing Howard and perhaps they do the same thing one year later by re-signing JaVale McGee, who is currently looking for his fourth championship in the NBA.

McGee is making $5 million this season but it is extremely unlikely that he gets more than the league minimum as a free agent this offseason. He is still more than capable of being a quality producer as well as he has been exactly what the Suns needed off the bench.

Phoenix lacked a second big off the bench to bring in if Deandre Ayton got in foul trouble last season and McGee has been that presence this season. In the regular season, McGee averaged 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in only 15.8 minutes per game. In the playoffs, he is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 10.6 minutes per game.

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