puis dans la liste qui s’affiche, cliquez sur AdBlock
Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
Failing to take part in the Western Conference Finals currently being played, the Lakers are making news through transfer rumors. This has been the case in recent hours, for example, via a lead that they have already begun to pursue.
Is it better to see your tormentors through to the end and triumph, or to wish for their elimination? That’s the question for Lakers fans, who have only been living vicariously through the playoffs since their team exited in the first round. As for the franchise’s directors, they don’t have the time to ponder such questions, as they must now prepare for what promises to be a turbulent off-season for them.
A case already studied by the Lakers now back on the agenda?
Determined to play a bigger role in next year’s title race, the Lakers need to resolve a number of problems with their roster. One of these is the center position, where Rob Pelinka is keen to attract reinforcements. With this in mind, the general manager has reportedly already sounded out a future free agent, as well as the Hawks with a view to a potential trade. Ron Gutterman of LakersNation.com reports:
Ron Gutterman: One name that Pelinka reportedly made calls about was Atlanta Hawks young big man Onyeka Okongwu. The 24-year-old is in the first year of a four-year, $62 million contract, and while he is slightly undersized at the position, brings athleticism and strong defensive instincts.
It would seem that Okongwu meets several of the criteria established by the LA front office and is one of their targets. This interest is nothing new, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin recently explained on the Straight Fire podcast:
Dave McMenamin: I’ve heard some things about the Lakers’ interest in Okongwu, yes.
Before the Mark Williams trade fell through, his name was undoubtedly on the list Rob Pelinka drew up and presented to Luka (Doncic). I’m telling you this because I know the Lakers made a call to the Hawks about him on the sidelines of the trade deadline.
Now, when some journalists make the young inside man the perfect fit alongside Luka Doncic, McMenamin prefers to take a few pinches of salt on this point:
Dave McMenamin: I think he’d be an alley-oop threat and he’s got athleticism, that’s for sure. That said, I don’t think he’d be the perfect fit. But the Lakers might not find the perfect fit on the market. The Clint Capela of 2017-18 would have been the perfect fit, but we’re talking 2025-26 now.
