The Battle For The Lakers’ Backup Center Spot

pio2u · Retired Number Joined: 26 Dec 2012 Posts: 54570

Breaking Down The Battle For The Lakers’ Backup Center Spot

*The competition for backup center is going to be an intense battle and one to keep an eye on throughout training camp.

deal · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 3:18 pm Post subject:

Yep, I went through it earlier. I think these different backup looks will be interesting to watch during the preseason.
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Practice · Star Player Joined: 14 Apr 2015 Posts: 4551

Right now I'm thinking Yi get's it, but we'll see.

PICKnPOP · Star Player Joined: 14 Jul 2014 Posts: 5377

It will probably depend on the matchup and what the coaches decide is our best chance at victory.

On a game to game basis.

KindCrippler2000 · Franchise Player Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 15821

To early to tell/vote. Need to watch preseason games IMO.

Also worth noting Yi has a non-guaranteed roster spot right now, while Black and Zubac have guaranteed roster spots - Yi needs to make the roster by opening night for his incentives to kick into effect:

pio2u · Retired Number Joined: 26 Dec 2012 Posts: 54570

tox · Franchise Player Joined: 16 Nov 2015 Posts: 17876

Zu is my fav but I think just due to Mozgov being similar in terms of weaknesses, Black will be the 2nd guy. Very skeptical of Yi after GT's video.

dcarter4kobe · Franchise Player Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 17674

I like Black getting the back up minutes starting off. Hopefully he can take Bass's place from last year.
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Fortysixn2 · Star Player Joined: 22 Jun 2016 Posts: 2849

I don't any one of the three is very good right now TBH. Zubac should probably get the minutes though since he has the highest ceiling of the 3 and we are in a developmental period.

Just out of curiousity, for anyone who voted Black...why do people like him so much? Every time I see him play I Just see a super hustle player who is vastly undersized for the C position who can't shoot and just rim dives/runs for all his points.

I know he hustles and is a very good rebounder, but don't know why people on this board always want to see him on the floor so much...maybe someone can educate me?

Shaber · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2016 2:01 am Post subject:

I still see Yi as a PF.
So I think both Blakc and Zubac see some light depending on matchups.
Maybe Black more at first but Zubac more later on when he gains more and more experience.
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Lakers depth chart

PG Johnson / Goodrich
SG Bryant / West / Scott
SF Baylor / Worthy / Cooper
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C Chamberlain / Abdul-Jabbar / O'Neal / Mikan

pio2u · Retired Number Joined: 26 Dec 2012 Posts: 54570

lewis · Star Player Joined: 23 Oct 2013 Posts: 1165

I expect to have 3 different players at the C position each night, similar to GSW (they played player Bogut, D. green and one of Ezeli/Speights), since we will play more uptempo and Luke will expect the payers to not conserve energy, but give it all in short spurts. With this in mind I think Mozgov will only play around 25 minutes and the rest of 23 will be split between one of Nance/Randle and eitehr Zubac/Ying/Black depending on match-up.
I think the C rotation will fluctuate the most from game to game compared to the others.

Four Decade Bandwagon · Star Player Joined: 18 Jul 2014 Posts: 8149

As a couple have mentioned, IMO it will be dependent on match-up on a nightly basis. There will be no one "backup" center. Against certain teams I would not be surprised to see Mozgov's starter mpg drastically reduced.

Just to expand on my reasoning:

- I think the Lakers go with all four centers for the season. The roster flexibility and player chemistry could get interesting with some of the possible rotations.

- With all four Cs, I question just how much Nance and/or Randle will play center at times. I am thinking very little.

- Same reasoning of Deng at PF. IMO he only plays it sparingly. His primary position and majority of his mpg will be spent at SF this season.

Expecting a competitive camp. Going to be very interesting to see which 15 make the final roster. Especially since there seems to be 4 or 5 players realistically competing for maybe 2 roster spots.

Who Walton actually keeps is intriguing as hell.

dcarter4kobe · Franchise Player Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 17674

The way I see it working out to be up front

Mozgov-24/Back up C-14/Nance-10
Randle-30/Nance-12/Deng-6
Deng-22/Ingram-26
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"He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."

yinoma2001 · Retired Number Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487

I think moz will play more than16 mpg. He just averaged closer to 23 mpg in the euro tourney.
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dcarter4kobe · Franchise Player Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 17674

My mistake, meant 24. Leaving 24MPG for Randle or Nance and Yi or Black.
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"He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."

yinoma2001 · Retired Number Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487

TylersLakers · Starting Rotation Joined: 25 Feb 2016 Posts: 386

I voted Yi, but I think it'll be either Nance or Randle, for the most part.

We'll see a lot of Nance and Randle together once Mosgov goes to the bench. In spot situations, we'll see Yi when we need more outside shooting.

SF: Deng (22)/ Ingram (26)
PF: Randle (32)/ Nance (10)/ Deng (6)
C: Mosgov (25)/ Nance (15)/ Yi (8)

adkindo · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2016 10:47 am Post subject:

Day 1, it will be Black...so it will be his to lose at that point. In regards to Nance, I am sure he can improve, but it was a disaster with him at the #5 in Summer League when Auguste and Zubac were on the bench....became a layup drill.

venturalakersfan · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2016 10:52 am Post subject:

Being such an athletic player, I was surprised Nance wasn't a better rebounder and shot blocker.
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Lakerpark · Star Player Joined: 09 Nov 2002 Posts: 2117

It seems to me that if the Lakers are trying to mimic the GSW, then their main back up will be a small ball center in the mold of Draymond Green. I would think the closest the Lakers have to Draymond would be Yi or maybe Nance.

The Warriors started Bogut then went to Green. On occasion they would play Ezeli and then in the playoffs they were playing Varajao a lot.

Mozgov would be our Bogut. Yi or Nance might be our Green. Maybe Black would be our Ezeli.

Zubac will be handed the keys to the kingdom in a about two years or so.

Luke seems like a smart coach and will keep all his players primed with occasional playing time...unlike the "World's worst Coach" who would just put his players on ice and make them basically ineffective with no playing time or sporadic PT.

Unless Black has learned to dribble, pass and shoot threes, I think he'll just get spot time.

adkindo · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2016 11:12 am Post subject:

Omar Little · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2016 2:05 pm Post subject:

pio2u · Retired Number Joined: 26 Dec 2012 Posts: 54570

activeverb · Retired Number Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 37470