The Los Angeles Lakers have had an open roster spot ever since the team waived Matt Ryan early in the season. Despite multiple talented players hitting the buyout market, the front office resisted using it.
With less than a month to play in a significant push toward the NBA Playoffs, it looks like Los Angeles finally might be using that 15th roster spot. Thankfully, they are using it toward a position that really needs some added help: the center position.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers are working out centers Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley this week.
The Los Angeles Lakers are working out free agent centers Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley this week, sources tell me and @jovanbuha. Thompson, an 11-year NBA veteran, was a key member of the 2016 championship Cavaliers team alongside LeBron James.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 20, 2023
These are two interesting players for the Lakers to choose to work out but one thing is abundantly clear: one of the two centers is a far better option for the Lake Show to consider signing than the other.
Tony Bradley would be better for the Lakers than Tristan Thompson.
Tristan Thompson is likely getting a workout with the Lakers because he is a former LeBron James teammate and is a Klutch Sports client. Let’s not pretend like that isn’t a factor as Klutch very obviously has an influence on what the Lakers are doing.
While that is great, the team should still sign the player that is better for the roster and barring a horrendous workout, that player is Tony Bradley. Granted, this is the 15th roster we are talking about so it is not overly consequential but it is still important to go the better route.
There are several things going in Bradley’s favor over Thompson, who is definitely the bigger name and has accomplished more throughout his career than Bradley. That being said, Bradley is still younger (25) and is seven years younger than Thompson.
This is a Lakers team that tried to get younger at the deadline and continuing that trend is the way to go. By getting Bradley in the building for these last few weeks, the team could be getting a trial run to see if he is worth a depth spot in the rotation next season.
Bradley is also more athletic than Thompson and has more recent NBA experience. Bradley has at least been on an NBA roster this season while Thompson has been sitting on the sidelines. This addition is not going to play many minutes and is mostly serving as a garbage time/”go foul Nikola Jokic” role, but that is still important.
Add in the fact that Bradley as a monstrous seven-five wing span that can block shots and secure rebounds and it seems like a no-brainer for the purple and gold.