The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly invited power forward Tyrus Thomas for a workout in an attempt to bolster their lineup after a lackluster 1-8 start in the season.
So how in the earth will Thomas improve the Lakers’ chance in winning some ballgames? Actually, the 6-foot-10 jumping beans can be a game-changer in some ways. Here’s why.
Thomas, the 4th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, last saw action for the Charlotte Bobcats during the 2012-13 NBA season. After taking a breather last season, the former LSU standout is looking to make an NBA comeback. And fortunately for him, that chance just came when the Lakers dialed his numbers to give it a try.
Although it’s uncertain how Thomas would perform in the tryouts and physical examinations after being away from the NBA for a year, he’s actually the kind of an athlete the Lakers are looking for right now.
Averaging 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in his career, Thomas is an incredible athlete with explosive leaping ability and dynamic motor. He’s also a superior shot blocker as proven by his 1.3 swats career average.
Defense has been the biggest letdown for the Lakers this season. After spending most of the training camp for defensive drills, the Lakers are ironically dead last in the league in points allowed per game (109.4 ppg). This is mainly due to the absence of quality shot blocker aside from Ed Davis. Thomas’ presence would be a welcome addition for the team’s interior defense because of his long arms and athleticism, which help him to swat or alter shots.
Aside from his defensive impact, Thomas is perfect target for Jeremy Lin’s lob passes. Unlike his tenure with the New York Knicks (Tyson Chandler) and Houston Rockets (Dwight Howard), Lin doesn’t have an athletic pick-and-roll partner who can catch the ball and slam it home with authority. Carlos Boozer and Jordan Hill are more of finesse type finishers off a pick-and-roll, while Lin hasn’t spent a lot of time with Davis on the floor.
With Thomas setting the pick and going hard to the basket, Lin will actually have another option than dumping the ball to Boozer or settling for another catch-and-shoot play for Kobe Bryant, who is shooting 37 percent from the field.
The Lakers are already capped out and well over the salary cap, but they can still sign a free-agent, thanks to a $1.5M disable player exception for injured rookie Julius Randle (broken tibia).
Thomas has been a high-risk, high-reward player ever since he entered the league as a raw talent for the Chicago Bulls. However, at this point of the season, the Lakers don’t have plenty of options to improve their roster. Thus, a gamble should be made, and what a move it would be if Thomas comes to play and fulfill his long-due potential in purple-and-gold.
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