NBA Rumors: Lakers have new Mo Bamba replacement thanks to Knicks

The Los Angeles Lakers have had an open roster spot ever since they waived Matt Ryan early in the season. With Mo Bamba suffering an ankle injury that is likely going to keep him out the rest of the year, it seems possible that LA could use that roster spot to get another center.

The center position is not the most important in the league today but it is nice to have depth at the five for a potential playoff push. At the very least, getting another big can make it easier to give Anthony Davis breaks in the regular season. Then, once the playoffs roll around, it gives the team another body to throw at Nikola Jokic.

If the Lakers are indeed interested in adding another center to the roster while Bamba is hurt then they have a new option to consider thanks to the New York Knicks, who ended the Lakers’ winning streak on Sunday.

NBA Rumors: Moses Brown waived by Knicks, is an interesting Lakers target.

New York just recently brought Moses Brown in and he did not end up playing for the team. Now that the West Coast trip is over, the Knicks have waived Brown to bring back Trevor Keels on a two-way contract.

On the surface, Brown does not seem to be that interesting of a target. His NBA numbers are far from impressive as the seven-two center has not really gotten a chance to produce. Brown averaged 4.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in 8.5 minutes per game with the Clippers. That is a 34-game sample size.

There is more potential than meets the eye and that is apparent in his G League statistics. In 49 career G League games, Brown has averaged 15.4 points, 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. The competition obviously is not the same but Brown has proven that he can be the prototypical rim-protecting big.

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Brown wouldn’t bring some new dynamic to the Lakers roster that the team cannot get elsewhere. He is as bland as a center can be in the NBA today. That being said, there is more upside in bringing him in than some of the other options.

The intrigue with Brown stems from the fact that he is still only 23 years old. This is a Lakers team that is trying to get younger and who knows, Brown could impress the front office and coaching staff in this short stint and secure a chance to compete for a roster spot next year.

Los Angeles would be getting depth now and would be getting a trial run for a potential depth piece next year. That is a better situation than bringing in some old veteran who has not played at all this season.

Couple in the fact that Brown is a local prospect (playing his college ball at UCLA) and there are legs for the Lakers to make a move like this. Of course, that is assuming they want depth at the center position with Bamba out (which they should).