The Lakers are currently in a difficult situation, having just lost to their local rivals, the Clippers. Anthony Davis, also known as "Brother Mei," performed poorly, with the center Zubac dominating the paint. The Lakers really need a legitimate center, as Davis does not want to face off against true centers; he is a power forward and does not wish to engage in the physical battles of the giants. Although the Lakers recently signed a center, Trey Jamison, who stands at 211 cm, he is essentially a minor player on a two-way contract. Having been cut by the Pelicans and being an undrafted rookie, he lacks significant fighting ability. Therefore, Pelinka's signing of him seems to be more about deceiving fans and himself.
The Lakers have other frontcourt players like Wood, Hayes, and Koloč, but none of them are true starters. Wood is known for his defensive lapses, Hayes is slow and loves to jump without much skill, and Koloč is so thin that he flies away with a single push, lacking any real physicality. Thus, while the Lakers appear to have three centers, they actually have no one in the paint. Davis is now the starting center because Hachimura and James play as forwards. However, Davis has always been resistant to playing center, both during his time with the Pelicans and after joining the Lakers, which is an open secret.
Recently, there has been a very good center on the market who is involved in trade rumors: the Mavericks' Gafford. Multiple sources have revealed that the Mavericks want to sell Gafford in exchange for a backup point guard with organizational skills. With their star player Doncic out long-term and Irving playing intermittently, the Mavericks' backcourt, once the strongest in the league, has become the weakest. Their backup point guard, Hardy, is strong on offense but weak on defense, focusing on personal scoring with a somewhat selfish style. Dinwiddie has some organizational ability, but his athleticism has significantly declined, and his form is inconsistent. Therefore, the Mavericks, who already have Lively and Kleber, hope to sell Gafford.
Gafford plays with passion and is very tough, being a pure inside player. In today's game against the Hornets, Gafford started in place of Lively and had an explosive performance, going 12 for 15 from the field for 31 points, along with 15 rebounds and 7 blocks. Among the 15 rebounds, 8 were offensive rebounds, which is quite impressive. He also contributed 3 assists and 1 steal, demonstrating an all-around game that was completely dominant. According to statistics, the 31 points set a new career high for Gafford, and scoring at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks with over 85% shooting in a single game puts him on par with three legendary NBA centers: O'Neal, Olajuwon, and Mourning.
With a stat line of 31+15+7 blocks, Gafford has matched the achievements of these three great centers in a single game. Who is his general? The Lakers can make a move now! It is clear that the Mavericks' current emphasis on Gafford is not because they truly want to use him, but rather to get a good price for him. The Lakers should act now; with such a good inside player available, if the Lakers don't make a move, the Suns will. Although the Suns have acquired Richards, who played well in his first game with 20+10, he only managed 4+4 in the second game and was exposed when facing the Cavaliers' Allen. However, the Lakers have an advantage over the Suns because they have assets in their backcourt. Vincent, the starting point guard in the Finals, has both ability and experience and has recently recovered form, with his contract expiring. If the Lakers offer Vincent, along with Reddish, Vanderbilt, and Schiffino for Gafford + Prosper, it is likely that the Mavericks would not immediately refuse.
