The Los Angeles Lakers have pieced together a 2026-27 season roster they hope is competitive, with Walker Kessler as their main big man addition. Yet, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, team sources are saying the Lakers are *still* monitoring the market for big men.
Kessler’s Not Enough, Or Is He?
Look, the Lakers brought in Kessler, and they’ve got Kevon Looney and Sandro Mamukelashvili as backups. But critics are already whispering. Looney played only 21 games last season and shot a rough 41.7% from the field, which has people calling him “over the hill.” And Mamukelashvili? Some say he just isn’t serviceable enough at the 5 spot. This ain’t good.
The Search Continues: Who’s Left?
The fact they’re still searching after agreeing to a one-year deal with Matisse Thybulle on Monday is wild. That Thybulle deal put them at 16 players, and NBA teams can only have 15 players on standard contracts during the season, so they need to get down to 15 by the season start. A move is definitely coming. On the free agency front, the current big man options are Nick Richards, Mason Plumlee, and Kelly Olynyk. Richards is the one to watch, bringing rebounding, shot-blocking, and decent athleticism. The big question is, how much mutual interest could there be between Richards and the Lakers?
The Lakers have until the start of the regular season to figure this out. This isn’t just about finding another body; it’s about whether they truly trust the big men they’ve already got to be competitive. It looks like more roster shuffling is definitely on the horizon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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