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The Los Angeles Lakers cut their roster to 13 players on Monday when they gave up on veteran goaltender Quinn Cook. This gave them two spots on the list to work with, and they’ve now held one in the short term. The Lakers have signed Damian Jones on a 10-day contract, the team announced Friday. Jones, a five-year veteran, was drafted No. 30 overall by the Golden State Warriors. He spent three seasons there before being traded to Atlanta. He spent the start of this season with the Phoneix Suns, but was dropped. Now the Lakers are adding it to meet a short-term need.
Anthony Davis is left with a calf strain, and the Lakers are precarious without him. Marc Gasol is their only other rotation player with a true center size, as a save center Montrezl Harrell is only 6-8. Jones gives the Lakers another look, especially as a pick-and-roll finisher. Harrell is good at it, but in different ways. While Harrell is the more skillful player, Jones, a tall 6-11 rebounding man, has an easier time catching lobs thanks to his longer catch radius and superior athleticism.
But the fact that this is only a 10 day contract is informative. The Lakers had been linked with a number of other great men in the buyout or trade market, including DeMarcus Cousins and Hassan Whiteside. These would have been full season additions and, given their reputation, they would have expected meaningful roles. The Lakers might have been able to give them those roles in the regular season (although even that would be a bit of a stretch once Davis returns), but when the playoffs roll in, there just won’t be any minutes. spare for centers if this list remains intact. Davis will play a significant number of center minutes in the playoffs, and Gasol and Harrell will soak up what is left.
Signing a great man without such a reputation on a 10-day contract only indicates that the Lakers have other priorities for their two vacant spots. While Jones could help replace Davis now, the Lakers apparently operate under the assumption that he will be in good health in time for the playoffs, and that instead of using player rosters to help him get it. replace, they should use these lists to complete it. on his return. In other words, expect the Lakers to look for guards and wings in the buyout market rather than another big man.
But with about a month to go before the trade deadline, the Lakers won’t be limited to the buyout market. Their flexibility is limited thanks to the hard cap, under which they currently have around $ 1.6 million in space, but unlike last season, the Lakers have a tradable first-round pick (2027) and a promising young prospect ( Talen Horton-Tucker) to offer offers if the right opportunity arises. The Lakers are only technically required to carry 14 players when the dust settles, so there are a variety of different paths they could take to improve their roster.
Waiving Cook, a beloved locker room presence, was an indication that Rob Pelinka is not happy with this roster in its current state. Jones will help the Lakers manage in the short term, but expects the Lakers to be aggressive in trying to improve in the long term in the exchange and redemption markets.
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