Over the last few days, the Los Angeles Lakers have made their fair share of moves in free agency. It is more than apparent that the Lakers are going to have a much younger look going into the upcoming campaign.
While the team has added several pieces up to this point, they are far from a finished product. Although they signed former Laker Damian Jones, the purple and gold could still use the services of another big man. One such player the team has been linked to happens to be another former Laker: Thomas Bryant.
Matt Peralta of Lakers Nation recently noted that the possibility of signing Bryant has “gained significant momentum.” Peralta revealed that via Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers would be willing to offer Bryant a veteran’s minimum deal.
Sources: Lakers have a strong interest in reuniting with free-agent center Thomas Bryant, but with LA just having the veteran minimum to offer he’s in no rush to make a decision. Plus, the Lakers have competition for the services of Bryant, as Toronto is also interested.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 1, 2022
It is encouraging to know that making such an acquisition would not cause the Lakers to not break the bank. At the same time, the team has to hope that any other suitors would not be willing to give Bryant more money.
At this juncture, Los Angeles can only offer the veteran’s minimum given that they have already utilized their mid-level exception. Needless to say, they already have a majority of their capital committed to their superstar talents.
As indicated, Toronto has been one of the other teams connected with Bryant in recent memory. Per Eric Eulau of Sports Illustrated, the 24-year-old free agent has also received interest from the Celtics.
The latter just made a Finals appearance and remains to this day the biggest rival of the Lakers. While it may not seem like a huge win, it would be sweet to snag a player away from Beantown.
Let alone that, Thomas Bryant would give the Lakers a much-needed dimension.
He is a big man who is capable of knocking it down from the perimeter. He currently holds a respectable 35 percent success rate from distance throughout his career.
In addition, Bryant is more than proficient when it comes to getting the job done in the paint. The former Laker has shot 65.9 percent from two-point territory during his first five years in the league.
Another asset Bryant would give the Lakers is a player with size. At 6-foot-10 and weighing in at close to 250 pounds, he is no slouch in the low post. He is a solid paint protector and has averaged about a block per game during his NBA tenure.
One risk in bringing Bryant aboard, though, stems from his track record injury-wise. Per Peralta, the center missed a good chunk of time two seasons ago because of an ACL tear. Over the last two years collectively, he has made only 37 appearances.
As a result, there is no telling how things will fare for him this year in the health department. Suffice to say, the Lakers have endured more than their fair share of injuries, too, ever since they won the title in 2020.
At the same time, the purple and gold could certainly use some additional backup assistance for Anthony Davis. Picking up a player like Bryant would give Davis more of an opportunity to play at the four, the position he has always preferred.
Moreover, per Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, signing Bryant would potentially give him a golden opportunity of his own. In the event that AD plays power forward, Bryant could theoretically be penciled in as the team’s starting center.
Receiving starting minutes next to a player like Davis would only elevate Bryant’s game. When he is healthy, Davis is one of the best big men the game has to offer. Combined with a young, strong player like Bryant, the two could wreak plenty of havoc for opposing teams.
Even if Bryant ends up being a reserve, he could still be more than a solid addition to the team. He could give the Lakers the kind of energy that Montrezl Harrell did two seasons ago and be a much bigger threat from downtown.
Without a doubt, acquiring Bryant would be somewhat of a gamble. His injury history speaks for itself, but in still being young at 24, this could be a major high-reward scenario for the 17-time champions.
The decision is completely up to Bryant because, as mentioned, the Lakers can only offer him so much dough. However, the Lakers can offer him a much bigger opportunity than he ever had as a rookie. Not to mention a shot at a world championship – something that was far-fetched at best during his days in the nation’s capital.
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Time will tell where Bryant ends up signing. Nonetheless, if Bryant can remain relatively healthy, he can certainly be a quality piece for any contender.