Magic Mike is known to embrace the presence of a stretch forward to help space the floor, in hopes of building a more dynamic offensive attack. With the losses of Metta World Peace and Earl Clark, however, the Lakers are no longer equipped to run such an offense.
The way Los Angeles is built now, D'Antoni is going to have to field a more traditional power forward alongside a center within the starting lineup. That power forward could prove to be Pau Gasol, who can realistically start next to the newly signed Chris Kaman.
Since both Kaman and Gasol are sizable enough to man the 5, though, D'Antoni has other options, alternative avenues he may actually be forced to explore.
Should he insert both Kaman and Gasol into the starting five, the Lakers would remain devoid of a true backup center off the bench who can score. At 6'10", Hill is no stranger to playing the part of the primary tower, but he's not considered a scorer. And Robert Sacre, a sophomore, is still a project with an uncertain ceiling.
Pau and Kaman also both have similar skill sets. They're valuable off pick-and-pops and stand seven feet tall. Failure to stagger their minutes could prove redundant.
Kaman seems to understand this. Upon officially being introduced as a member of the Lakers, he made it clear he'll assume whatever role is asked of him, whether it dictate he start or come off the bench.
"It doesn't matter to me," he said of where he plays, as quoted by Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. "I'm here to do a job and whatever it is, I'll do it."
His willingness to play wherever and whenever allows the Lakers to fiddle around with their interior situation, an opportunity they weren't afforded with Pau and Dwight Howard.
Gasol wasn't amenable to coming...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
