The 2026 NBA Finals has featured a remarkable clash between Karl-Anthony Towns and Victor Wembanyama. The All-Star big men have battled inside, stretched the floor, and showcased remarkable skill on both ends of the court. The Los Angeles Lakers should learn from their success.
With Los Angeles reportedly looking to acquire the type of rim-running bigs that Luka Doncic is accustomed to winning with, one can't help but wonder if they're overlooking the importance of shot creation.
Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic recently reported that the Lakers promised Doncic to "find him replicants, if not improvements, of the balanced roster he made a finals run with in Dallas in 2024." Per Woike and Amick, one of the player archetypes they're prioritizing is that of a "lob threat" comparable to Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II.
Though Gafford and Lively are starting-caliber players who excel in multiple phases of the game, it's worth noting that their shared limitation is in the realm of shot creation.
There's nothing inherently wrong with prioritizing big men who can protect the paint and work the pick-and-roll. In fact, it would be a fool's errand to progress through the offseason without finding a player who can thrive in that very regard.
As the 2026 NBA Finals have proven, however, modern centers need to be able to offer some degree of self-creation to truly excel at a winning level.
Lakers want rim-runners, but they need on-ball skill at center, as well
Doncic and Austin Reaves are fairly ball-dominant players who admittedly don't leave much room for an interior-based big to play with the ball in their hands. In saying that, stars must adapt in order to win, and the Lakers must do the same.
Finding the lob target and rim protector that Doncic is known to excel alongside would be a wise approach, but the Lakers need at least one big who can create their own offense, as well.
It's truthfully not a particularly new trend, as six of the past seven NBA champions have had a power forward or center who can create offense. The list includes: Pascal Siakam in 2019, Anthony Davis in 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, Nikola Jokic in 2023, Kristaps Porzingis in 2024, and Chet Holmgren in 2025.
The Golden State Warriors in 2023 may be an exception from a scoring perspective, but starting big Draymond Green averaged 7.0 assists per game that season.
NBA champions tend to have bigs who can create offense
It's truthfully as simple as the fact that defenses will always have trouble when one of the biggest players on the court is skilled enough to create offense. They not only play close to the basket, but tend to know how to use their size to their advantage.
With this in mind, prioritizing bigs who must have shots created for them at least somewhat limits the Lakers' potential, even if they are critical to team success, as well.
Los Angeles should thus look at the NBA Draft and free agency with an open mind. Finding a Gafford or Lively type of big to help recreate Doncic's magical run with the Mavericks in 2024 would be wise, but they should also be searching for ways to create offense through their bigs if they're hoping to compete with the best teams in the NBA.
Considering the Lakers have won each of their 17 championships with an All-NBA big on the roster, it's imperative that they embrace an integral piece of their identity.
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