There was looming optimism over the Los Angeles Lakers that began a refreshing tenure under JJ Redick. However, the preseason brought forward some concerning flaws within the roster. With essentially the same group of players returning, the Purple and Gold still lack shooting depth and the defensive onus has fallen almost wholly onto Anthony Davis. The question now comes – is Rob Pelinka planning on making a move?

According to Anthony Irwin, the GM isn’t troubling himself with their preseason results. The Lakers have recalibrated their offense, relying on shooting and off-ball movements. However, making shots has been a problem, with them only making 29% of their threes thus far. Pelinka is hoping to assess the utility within their current group. And if the need does arise, the front office has shortlisted some candidates.

“League sources continue to point to Kyle Kuzma of Washington, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith of Brooklyn, Walker Kessler of Utah, Bruce Brown of Toronto, and others. One name league sources say to keep an eye on is Zach LaVine, who played well in his return from surgery last year,” Irwin mentions.

Kuzma, a former Laker has been floated around the LA circuits for the past few seasons. But in LaVine’s case, the allure grew intense since the departure of DeMar DeRozan. A lethal and explosive athlete, the Bulls guard played college ball at UCLA. Furthermore, he has the potential to be a part of the future besides Anthony Davis while also serving as a robust shooting threat in the current formation.

The only drawback remains his commitment to Chicago. The offseason swirled multiple rumors around Zach LaVine. But when speaking about it personally, he is focused on his immediate future in the Windy City. “Anything negative that will try to pin me and the organization –- rumors, drama, whatever it is -– I leave that in the past,” he said at media day.

But is he truly the player the Lakers need?

When will the Lakers pursue a center?

The last time Anthony Davis played besides imposing centers was in 2020. It resulted in a championship for the Los Angeles Lakers, given the landscape of the team itself was a lot different. However, having a five that can take away some responsibilities from AD’s hands and allow him the freedom of movement could unleash several layers of the Lakers.

Speaking of shooting in particular, the Lakers have players that can genuinely shoot the ball. The likes of D’Angelo Russell, Reaves, and now a two-way presence in Max Christie are just a few names. Through a coordinated offensive system, those shortcomings are always repairable. But to make that possible, the Purple and Gold need continuity in those roles.

As the “hub” Redick wants him to be, Anthony Davis is currently playing like a hybrid. While he flourishes as a forward with technically sound footwork and post skills, he is needed to be the enforcer as well. With the lack of a center who can take those responsibilities off him, the Laker offense could very well remain unstable.

In that regard, it’s vital to have a true center to start besides Anthony Davis. Jaxson-Hayes plays with tremendous energy and is a lingering lob threat, but someone like Kessler operates organically inside the paint. The job is less about scoring and more about bringing defensive cohesion. The Jazz product averaged the second most blocks last season and is considered among the best rim-protectors in the NBA.

Furthermore, he can always perform as the secondary rebounder besides Davis. Last season, the Lakers gave up a large amount of possessions due to their poor glass crashing. Kessler, who has the acumen to position himself well can help Davis in constantly applying pressure and generating additional possessions for the team.

LaVine is a tantalizing addition that will add excitement and multiple levels of scoring. But a true center could help harness the skills of a roster that has a myriad of talented players that stitched together, have proven to be successful.