Thomas Bryant a Laker!

[TheHartBreakKid]

I love what the FO did with our center situation. We got younger and more mobile, while also having a great level of balance between the two, all for the minimum. These two guys can essentially split all non AD minutes and compete for the spot, and both are young enough to show some improvements along the way. Either one could also be benched in the playoffs depending on the matchups and AD playing more center (if we make the playoffs lol), and i don't think they'll cause any distractions or headaches if that happens.

I said this about Damian earlier in the offseason, which is that he gives us the most playable lob option we've had since Dwight/Mcgee. Bryant also gives us the most playable/mobile non-AD big man option that we've had during the Lebron era. Most importantly, both have some upside left for this season, and both are coming in at the minimum. The Center position for us is the simplest position in terms of game plan....you're either playable there, or you're not. Harrell, Drummond, Gasol, and the last year version of DJ weren't playable. Last year Dwight was borderline close not playable. I think D.Jones and Bryant are simply more playable than any options we've had since 2020.

While both these guys will be less important individually than most of the roster, as it's constructed now, they are perfect fits considering the price tag if we somehow fix the glaring issues (Russ/3 point shooting).

[TheHartBreakKid]

Oh, and also, while this position is definitely for grabs in terms who starts in the regular season, and who remains on the rotation if we feature AD more at center, I think it terms of fit, Bryant/AD and Jones/Lebron make the ideal front court pairings.

While on paper Bryant's shooting seems to be a good fit with Lebron, I think a Lebron/Bryant front court will be exploited defensively (or would require Lebron spending way too much energy on defense). Pair Lebron with Jones and our best 3 shooters in the late 1st/3rd or early 2nd/4th, and allow Bryant's size to take pressure of AD defensively, and allow his spacing to make it easier for AD to operate inside on the defensive end. I don't want to see isolation perimeter AD anymore. If guarding centers isn't what's best for him or what he's comfortable with, that's fine, Bryant's size could come relieve that pressure from AD. But on offense, AD needs to re-earn the right to play on perimeter and he should be more interior focused .


I think whoever is playing between the two will end up starting, and that's how it should be. However, I think those front court pairings make the most sense once we start going to the bench around the 6 minute mark in the 1st and 3rd. And of course, to close out the game, in most situations we would be at our best with a AD/Lebron front court.

[Eric Bieniemy]

Davis must be the starting center and James the starting power forward.

Bryant is a good signing, but Jones is still the better backup center because, with Reaves, Tucker, Nunn, and possibly Walker, the second team won't need offense; they'll need defense.

Jones is clearly the better option over Bryant for a unit that need that needs defense, so Bryant, to me, is third-string.

If Davis goes down, Bryant leapfrogs Jones and becomes the starter because the first-team will need a more offensive threat.

[R-DAWG]

Davis must be the starting center and James the starting power forward.

Bryant is a good signing, but Jones is still the better backup center because, with Reaves, Tucker, Nunn, and possibly Walker, the second team won't need offense; they'll need defense.

Jones is clearly the better option over Bryant for a unit that need that needs defense, so Bryant, to me, is third-string.

If Davis goes down, Bryant leapfrogs Jones and becomes the starter because the first-team will need a more offensive threat.

Davis can't hold up as the starting center over the course of the regular season. Bryant's job is to eat minutes banging at the 5 (even if he's not doing it well) while also providing floor spacing in an effort to keep AD fresh. You can get by splitting the center minutes between Bryant/Jones/AD with each guy playing about 15 MPG at the 5 - or 20MPG each for Byrant/Jones with AD getting another 10.