5 centers the Lakers can sign for support after Mo Bamba injury

2. Tristan Thompson

There is not much that can be said about Tristan Thompson that was not already said about Hassan Whiteside. While Thompson was unable to cash out to the extent that Whiteside was, he still was previously viewed as an important part of a title-contending team.

Now, Thompson can hardly find work as he has not played a single NBA game this season. Teams simply are not out looking for players like Thompson and Whiteside. That is simply how the game has shifted.

Thompson would have an identical impact as Ibaka or Whiteside but there is one simple fact that gives him the edge here: his past with LeBron James. Being a former LeBron James teammate gets his foot in the door and could be what ultimately gets him a depth role as the 15th man.

We have literally seen the Lakers go down this route in the past. During the 2019-20 season, the team brought in two former LeBron James teammates for depth. They signed Dion Waiters as a flier and then signed J.R. Smith to play in the Orlando bubble as Avery Bradley was not going.

Neither guy had a real role on that team but they still got championship rings out of it. Thompson could look to do the same with the 2023 Lakers.