Lakers predicted to pair Luka Doncic with struggling $19 million Pistons All-Star

Lakers predicted to pair Luka Doncic with struggling $19 million Pistons All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It’s safe to assume the Los Angeles Lakers closely monitored the Detroit Pistons’ second-round playoff series vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Why? Because the Pistons’ struggling All-Star center has been on the Lakers’ radar for the past few months, and the consensus was that the Memphis Product’s uninspiring play in the series could bolster Los Angeles’ odds of prying him from Detroit this summer.

Considering that’s exactly what occurred, Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts believes the Lakers could pull off a beneficial free agency move.

“Jalen Duren’s playoff struggles increased Lakers’ chances of stealing All-Star big man,” Watts wrote Monday.

“Luka wants a lob threat center to be his pick-and-roll partner. Duren scored 1.45 points per possession in those situations during the regular season, which is better than 91.8 percent of NBA players. Now imagine what he could do playing with the best pick-and-roll creator in the world?”

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“The 22-year-old big man must be put in positions to succeed. He shouldn’t be creating off the dribble or having to do too much. The Lakers are the perfect spot. Luka will feed him lobs and easy buckets at the rim. Duren can focus on protecting the rim and anchoring the defense.”

As Watts alluded to, Duren’s performance in the playoffs wasn’t an accurate representation of who he is as a player. In addition to being a low-post bruiser capable of bullying weaker opponents in the paint, Duren is an explosive vertical athlete who can track down just about any pass and finish above the rim emphatically.

Don’t sleep on the former lottery pick’s rim protection, either, as he’s fully capable of severely altering shots with his length and impressive hang time.

Of course, the Lakers’ chances of landing Duren will hinge on the Pistons’ stance on their 19.5 points-per-game center.

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