The Los Angeles Lakers have been the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde team during the 2024-25 regular season. They've proven capable of going on long winning streaks and extended stretches during which they win far more often than they lose, but they've also been on the other end of that equation on an almost regular basis.
Now 20-16 with 46 games to be played, the Lakers are staring down a reality that an embarrassing 118-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks has made unavoidable: They need to improve at center. Immediately.
Los Angeles entered the clash with Dallas as a heavy favorite to emerge victorious. Both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were sidelined by injuries, while the Lakers were fortunate enough to have all five of their starters healthy and available.
Even still, the Mavericks pummeled the Lakers, walking away with a 21-point win that never should've been possible to secure.
Dallas won the game by pulling down 11 offensive rebounds and scoring 52 points in the paint. That opened the door for its cast of sharpshooting wings to pour in the offense from beyond the arc, burying 18 shots on 47.4 percent shooting.
The Lakers are hoping that Dorian Finney-Smith can help transform the defensive perimeter, but no matter what he does, the need for help at center will remain.
Mavericks the latest team to expose how fragile Lakers' interior is
Anthony Davis is one of the best players in the NBA, but his job has become unsustainably challenging. He's tasked with thriving as the team's go-to scorer, creating second chances, operating as the first line of defense against perimeter-oriented teams, and still managing to defend the post, paint, and defensive glass.
The simple solution would be to add a player who can alleviate pressure along the interior, thus allowing Davis' versatility to shine through.
Unfortunately, the Lakers have yet to add the type of player who can make Davis' job easier on either end of the floor. Finney-Smith has been spacing the floor, creating second chances, and defending well, but there's only so much he can do as a 6'7" forward.
Los Angeles needs an interior player who can keep opponents away from second chances, and it's long past the time when Rob Pelinka could justify not acquiring one.
Many hoped it would be Jonas Valanciunas who could step in and provide proven contributions as a rebounder and post scorer. The price point is reportedly out of the Lakers' reach, however, which is a product of their refusal to act when it was a more affordable venture.
The search must continue nonetheless, as the Lakers are too close to contending to simply accept a glaring flaw that could have them finishing in the middle of the pack.
It's also worth noting that the Lakers don't currently have a 2025 first-round draft pick. As such, winning should be the only motivation, and trading for an upgrade at center shouldn't require them to sabotage a future beyond this season.
If the loss to the Mavericks proves anything, it's that even teams without their superstars can get the best of the Lakers due almost entirely to a thoroughly-documented flaw.