The Los Angeles Lakers had another vertical center in mind before the opportunity of the rescinded Mark Williams trade was presented to them.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers considered an athletic center who registered a 44.5-inch vertical jump at the 2021 NBA draft combine.
“The Lakers considered adding bruising 6-10 center Jericho Sims, sources said, before he was moved from New York to Milwaukee on Wednesday for Delon Wright as an addition to the Kyle Kuzma-for-Khris Middleton deal. Sims would have fit the “stuff around the margins” category that Pelinka vowed the team would explore during Doncic’s introductory news conference Tuesday because, the GM said, “the market for bigs right now … is very dry. There’s just not a lot available,” McMenamin wrote.
‘Under-the-Radar Defensive Juggernaut’
Sims isn’t as skilled as Williams, who is in the midst of a career season before the nixed trade with the Lakers.
Williams is averaging 15.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting an efficient 59.7% from the field. On the other hand, Sims has only averaged 13.4 minutes per game, producing 2.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in his career as a fringe center for the Knicks before he was traded to the Bucks.
Sims is more durable than Williams and was developing into an “under-the-radar defensive juggernaut,” per the New York Post in December.
According to McMenamin, Williams was “handpicked by Luka Doncic for Pelinka to attempt to land to.” But despite Williams’ tantalizing upside, the health issues that the Lakers saw in his physical [exam] were too much for them to risk giving up Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish,, their 2031 first-round pick and a pick swap in 2030.
Sims was under Klutch Sports when he entered the NBA. But he quietly left them and is now being represented by Jason Glushon and Josh Ketroser.
Can Jaxon Hayes Step Up?
As the NBA trade deadline has already lapsed, the Lakers had no choice but to push through or rescind the Williams trade. They chose the latter as amending (like asking for more compensation from the Hornets or lessening the outgoing draft capital or putting protection on the 2031 pick) was no longer an option.
Now, they are left with a gaping hole in the middle which they will attempt to patch up with the combination of career backup center Jaxson Hayes, and going to small ball lineups at times with Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Hayes is averaging 8.0 points on 77.3% shooting, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.0 steals during the Lakers’ five-game winning streak since he jumped into the starting lineup. Whether he can sustain this form especially in the postseason is a big question mark.
What’s Next for the Lakers?
Hayes’ current backups Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III are on two-way contracts, thus they are not eligible to be rostered in the playoffs.
Christian Wood, the other center on the Lakers under a standard contract, has yet to return from knee surgery. There is no timetable for his return.
The Lakers can waive Wood if he can’t return this season. They can sign a free agent center who was making less than $12.8 million in his previous contract for a prorated minimum. The Lakers are roughly $1.6 million under the second apron.
The problem, however, is the center market has dried up and the chances of finding a difference-maker are less likely.
