The Lakers acted secretly: Targeting the three young centers, is it imperative to strengthen the inside?

Although the Lakers have not made any moves at the center position yet, this does not mean that management is not actively operating behind the scenes. The Lakers are reportedly exploring trade possibilities over the phone and have inquired about three young centers - Nick Richards, Yves Missy and Robert Williams III.

Nick Richards switched from the Hornets to the Suns last season, averaging 9.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in 22 minutes per game, shooting 59.1% from the field (the lowest career, with an average of 64% in previous careers). Yves Missy is the 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft (following Lakers rookie Kennett), averaging 9.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in 26.8 minutes last season, with nearly 30% of the shots coming from dunks (completed 116 dunks in 73 games). Robert Williams III, who is most familiar to Lakers fans, is a sports-type basket protector that management has been paying attention to for a long time, but his health risks are extremely high - he only played more than 52 games in his seven-year career and had less than 40 games in his five times, which is a high-risk and high-reward choice.

The three players have different styles, indicating that the Lakers are evaluating the reinforcement plan in multiple lines. The current suspense is: can they successfully finalize one of the deals to fill the key inside vacancy for the lineup?