5 Potential Solutions to Los Angeles Lakers' Obvious Small Forward Problem
The Los Angeles Lakers face a number of problems this season, not the least of which is a lack of quality depth at nearly every position.
Minus a quality starting center, Lakers management loaded up on power forwards with the hope that Jordan Hill, Julius Randle, Ryan Kelly, Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis and Robert Sacre would address that deficiency. Teams are still destroying the Lakers in the paint.
That left a gaping hole at small forward, despite the presence of starter Wesley Johnson and super sub Nick Young. In Johnson, the Lakers have a 27-year-old former first-round draft pick who continues to underperform, most notably on offense.
So far in 13 games, Johnson has spent 32 minutes on the court, scoring less than eight points per game. His 26.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc is the worst of his five-year career.
Having Nick Young back has helped strengthen the bench, especially on offense. In his first two games following rehab on his injured thumb, Swaggy P averaged 16.5 points on 48 percent shooting in 28 minutes.
By his third game, however, Young disappeared, scoring just five points in 19 minutes against the Mavs.
After Johnson and Young, the small forward cupboard looked pretty bare with Xavier Henry as the third option. It now looks empty because Henry ruptured his Achilles in practice and is lost for the season (per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports).
So, the Lakers SF position, already thin, just lost 30 percent of its trio.
Prior to the injury, it was thought that Henry would be the first Laker let go if and when the team makes a move. Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding wrote earlier this week:
"No massive talent upgrade is coming, though if 6'9" forward Quincy Miller fares well in a tryout this week, expect to see him replace Xavier Henry on the team. Miller, who turns 22 on Tuesday and has rare upside despite no sense of how to reach it after two years with the Denver Nuggets, would at least give the Lakers a little more youth and hope in Julius Randle's absence.
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With a recently awarded $1.5 million Disabled Player Exception (DPE) as compensation for Randle’s broken leg, the Lakers have until March 10 to sign or trade for someone to fill that roster spot.
The pickings are slim, but the Lakers are mining for any help they can get.
1. Quincy Miller: Tremendous Upside and Exceptionally Raw
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A second-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets, the 6’9”, 210-pound Quincy Miller is about as raw a talent as you are bound to find in the league.
But, having recently turned 22 and turned loose by Denver before the season started, Miller is also a bargain worth looking at.
He averaged five points and 15 minutes in 52 games last season for the Nuggets.
DraftExpress.com called Miller a "poor man's Kevin Durant" coming out of Baylor in 2012. He played one year of college ball and was originally projected as a late first-round pick.
The Nuggets ended up taking him with the 38th overall selection in the second round. With a 7'4" wingspan, Miller has the potential to be a shot-blocker and strong defender.
He would be worth signing. What do the Lakers have to lose?
2. Jordan Hamilton: LA Native May Be the Best Move for Lakers
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Jordan Hamilton is another logical choice to step in and provide depth on the wing for the Lakers.
At 6'7" and 220 pounds, Hamilton is really a hybrid shooting guard/small forward. The Los Angeles native and former Longhorn from the University of Texas was said to be getting a tryout this week with the Lakers.
Basketball Insiders' David Pick, however, reports that the team has not made a move yet on Hamilton or any other free agent.
He is a career 36 percent shooter from three-point land, making him an intriguing possibility for a team that desperately needs good outside shooters.
The 24-year-old averages six points and three rebounds in 13 minutes of playing time in his career. He did see his minutes increase to about 17 in 21 games with the Houston Rockets last year.
Hamilton, at 6'7", showed some strong defensive skills during his first couple of seasons with the Denver Nuggets. That should count for something in Byron Scott's defensive-minded world.
After surrendering 140 points to the Dallas Mavericks Friday night, the Lakers' Swiss-cheese defense is in dire need of energy players who can guard their opponent. Hamilton may fit that bill.
3. Ronnie Brewer: A Good Fit for Scott's Defensive Schemes
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Another player known primarily for his defensive abilities is former Chicago Bulls guard/forward Ronnie Brewer.
He was waived by the Bulls after last season and then proceeded to get into some trouble with an alleged DUI.
The 6'7" Brewer was last heard from in a DUI case in Beverly Hills, where he pleaded no contest to driving while intoxicated. The 29-year old, who has played for six different NBA teams, remains a solid defensive player whom the Lakers should seriously consider.
No less a defensive authority than Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau had nothing but praise for Brewer when he signed with the team for the stretch run last spring.
Thibodeau acknowledged via ESPNChicago.com that Brewer's ability to play the sort of defense that he demands was a big factor in him coming back to the Bulls for a second stint: "I think it's a big plus. He has the characteristics that we look for—high character, smart, and he plays for the team. It's good insurance to have."
With Johnson and Young being unable to shut down the opposition's top wings and guards, the Lakers would be well-advised to give Brewer a good look.
4. Rashard Lewis: A Veteran Who Can Light It Up
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Getting Rashard Lewis to agree to come to the Los Angeles Lakers this season might take some doing.
After all, the 35-year-old veteran is probably more interested in winning another championship than getting a paycheck on a rebuilding team. Still, it may be worth the effort for Lakers management to offer a roster spot to the 6'10" sharpshooting power forward.
Lewis is a career 39 percent shooter from three-point range, which means he can stretch the defense and allow Kobe Bryant and Nick Young to isolate one-on-one.
Lewis has played on winning teams; his Miami Heat won the NBA championship in 2013. His experience alone makes him an invaluable commodity on a Lakers team sprinkled with youth.
He had agreed to a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks last summer, but it was quickly voided in late July when he learned he needed knee surgery.
Reports from Dallas suggest that Lewis is working out again and staying in touch with the Mavs about a possible signing later in the season. But if the team ends up signing shooting guard Ray Allen for the stretch run, that could leave Lewis looking around to play somewhere else.
So why not in Los Angeles?
Roscoe Smith
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At 6'8", 202 pounds, Roscoe Smith is more of an undersized power forward in a small forward's body.
He was one of the last cuts by the Lakers in training camp, and if not for the team's having to keep a roster spot for the injured Steve Nash, he might have stayed with the club to open the season.
Smith was said to be getting another tryout with the team this week.
This is what Aggrey Sam of Comcast SportsNet said of Smith when he decided to come out for the NBA draft last summer after his junior season:
"One of a handful of players in college basketball to average a double-double, Smith’s lone season on the court in Las Vegas was a productive one. The transfer made an immediate impact for the Runnin’ Rebels and on a talented, underachieving squad, focused his game almost completely on rebounding. He did manage to gain recognition for his transformed game and reemergence on the scene, but with other holes in his game still needing to be addressed and the chance to be UNLV’s featured option as a senior, it was a bit of a surprise that he passed up on his final year of college eligibility.
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Smith is known for being a high-energy, defensive-minded player. The knock against him is that he has yet to possess a perimeter game, and that could limit his NBA potential.
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