All 29 teams asked! The Lakers talked to the Suns center Richards, and the patient Rowe is also the target!

Lakers' new season center search record: A long "blind date"

Lakers' management staged a dazzling drama about center search this offseason. First, Ayton's rumors came to an abrupt end, and then turned their targets to three candidates - Richards of the Suns, Rowe of the Trail Blazers, and Missy of the Pelicans. This makes people wonder: Does Pelinka want to call all teams in the league and ask the center one by one about their wishes?

The latest chapter of this farce is negotiations with the Suns on Richards' deal. But before that, the Lakers management has set their targets on three players. Let's take a look at their characteristics:

1. Missy (Pelicans): This 21-year-old young center, 208cm tall, averaged 9 points, 8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in 26 minutes in the rookie season. The performance on the defensive end is remarkable, but considering his rookie identity and the Pelicans attach great importance to him, it may cost a lot to get him, even more than two first-round picks - and with the Lakers' management's usual careful calculation style, the possibility of this deal is slim. This is more like a formal negotiation, covering up the dilemma of the Lakers management being eager to seek talents but unable to achieve their wishes in the center position.

2. Rowe (Trail Blazers): This 27-year-old short and stout center, 206cm tall, is good at defense. With 17 minutes of playing time per game, he can contribute 6 points, 6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. However, his injury history is worrying. He has played only 26 games in the past two seasons. The Lakers had previously been concerned about the injury history of players such as Marvin Williams, but now they turn a blind eye to the risk of injury. This inconsistent decision is puzzling. Perhaps this can only be explained by the fact that the Lakers management is desperate in the center position and is desperate to seek medical treatment.

3. Richards (Suns): 27-year-old Richards is 213cm tall, averages 9 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block per game, and his shooting percentage is close to 60%. In the Suns, he seems to be in a marginalized state. For the Lakers, the chances of getting Richards are theoretically the greatest, but whether the Suns are willing to let go is still an unknown. After all, sending a rotation center to a competitor team doesn’t have any benefit to the Suns.

The logic behind the Lakers' search for center:

The Lakers' management seems to have strict requirements on the center candidate. They hope to find a young player who can work with Doncic and Rivers for a long time and has the ability to switch defenses. It was this harsh standard that made them miss powerful centers such as Capela and Lopez. Redick's tactical system seems to be an important consideration for Lakers' management to choose a center, and centers who are competent for switching defenses are rare in the league. This almost demanding requirement may eventually make the Lakers stretched to the center position in the new season. Doncic and Rivers are probably also worried about the team's uncertainty in the center position.

In this way, the Lakers' center search journey this summer is more like a long and uncertain "blind date". Whether they can find the right "object" in the end is still an open question. The final outcome of this drama may directly affect the Lakers' competitiveness in the new season.