LA Misses Out On Signing Intriguing Free Agent Big Man Off Buyout Market

Your Los Angeles Lakers might be done roster-building this season, after all.

Or at least, they seem to have little interest in adding a major project player to their 15-man standard roster as the postseason nears.

That's what I for one would infer right now, upon hearing from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that the reinvigorated-if-still-lottery-bound Charlotte Hornets (who are 5-1 across their last six contests) will be inking ex-Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Aleksej Pokusevski to a fresh deal heading into the home stretch of the 2023-24 regular season. OKC cut the 2020 No. 17 overall draft pick earlier this week.

The seven-footer was essentially a proto-Chet Holmgren, and once the actual Chet Holmgren was drafted by the Thunder it seemed like 2024 Coach of the Year hopeful Mark Daigneault's interest in the original model slipped significantly.

Pokusevski, still just 22, has played in just 10 contests this season, having fallen out of the rotation entirely for the West's No. 2 seed. He posted averages of 1.2 points, one rebound and 0.5 assists in just six minutes per contest.

The Lakers have a pretty solid rotation of more proven big men. Even their raw, high-ceiling center, Jaxson Hayes, is a more reliable on-court product than Pokusevski. As of this writing, it's not clear exactly what the nature of his agreement with Charlotte is, but if provided it is a standard deal, it makes sense from a Lakers perspective that it be with more of a rebuilding squad, as LA can ill afford to spend a standard roster spot on anyone beyond a more consistent vet.