4 former Lakers who could explode on new teams in 2022-23
By Jason Reed
Two former Lakers centers should thrive on new teams next season
The Los Angeles Lakers have had a rotating door of centers over the last few seasons as Rob Pelinka just cannot figure the position out. There are two recent Lakers centers who are on new teams next season and should play well as a result.
JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee has seemingly gotten more and more valuable the longer his career goes on. While most centers sign for league-minimum deals, McGee is actually making more than that as he has proven to be a valuable backup big for NBA teams.
Not only is he the traditional rim-protecting and shot-blocking big that teams like to have off the bench, but he really does appear to be a great locker room presence, aiding in that department as well.
McGee went from one good situation to the next as he left Phoenix to sign with the Dallas Mavericks. McGee will still come off the bench but his numbers are going to look even better as he is going to share the court with Luka Doncic, who has the LeBron effect of making bigs better.
Andre Drummond
Andre Drummond was a buyout signing for the Lakers and he didn’t really pan out as expected. Last season he was Joel Embiid’s backup in Philly and when you are the backup to one of the best centers in the league you don’t get that big of a role.
Drummond then spent some time with the Brooklyn Nets after the James Harden trade and he played more minutes but that team was such a mess that it did not really matter much.
Now Drummond is going to a team that could really use his minutes as a backup five in the Chicago Bulls. While Nikola Vucevic is the starter, Drummond should get 24-25 minutes per game and with so much talent on the perimeter, should go closer to the numbers he posted in Detroit.
Dummond and McGee are not the only recent Lakers centers that are on new teams as DeAndre Jordan is still somehow in the league as the Denver Nuggets signed him. However, he still will be terrible.