The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office continues to explore different ways to improve the roster. A trade has been the most discussed route, but with 10-day contracts now being an option, the Lakers have been working out a number of different players who could potentially help them.
The biggest needs for the team are a 3-and-D wing and some more size in the paint. The workouts the team has conducted are a reflection of that with Sterling Brown already being signed to a 10-day contract, Tyler Dorsey getting a workout and DeMarcus Cousins also expected to work out with the team as well.
But Cousins won’t be the first big man to work out for the Lakers as former Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers center Cody Zeller worked out with the Lakers last week while the team was in Charlotte according to NBA reporter Marc Stein:
The Lakers, as part of their broad look at available free agents, auditioned big man Cody Zeller in Charlotte last week, league sources say.@ChrisBHaynes reported earlier today that former All-Star DeMarcus Cousins works out for L.A. next week.
More: https://t.co/LGN9cVpeGP
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 6, 2023
Zeller is a former fourth overall pick of Charlotte back in 2013 and spent eight of his nine seasons with the Hornets where he averaged 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds. His best year came during the 2019-2020 season where he averaged 11.1 points and 7.1 rebounds in 58 games.
While not the flashiest name, Zeller is a solid and reliable big man who does good work on the glass and would potentially give the Lakers a big body they need. Thomas Bryant has been exceptional in filling in for the injured Anthony Davis but doesn’t quite have the size to matchup with some of the league’s bigger centers. Wenyen Gabriel is also undersized while Damian Jones has the height, but not the strength.
The fact that the Lakers went with Brown for their first 10-day and are looking to work out Cousins soon would seem to suggest that Zeller’s chances of joining the Lakers aren’t too high. But at the very least it gives everyone an idea of what the Lakers are looking to add to the roster.
Anthony Davis beginning ramp-up process to return from foot injury
While the team is working out potential bigs, the Lakers could soon be making the biggest possible addition to their frontcourt as Davis is beginning the ramp-up process in hopes of returning to the court.
There is reportedly optimism within the Lakers organization that Davis could be back within the next couple of weeks should the pain continue to subside and he has no setbacks in the coming days.
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