NBA Rumors: Lakers Give Veteran Big Man Some Chance After Marc Gasol Exit

The Los Angeles Lakers traded Marc Gasol to the Memphis Grizzlies in what hardly surprised many.

However, it remains that they still do have open roster spots, and taking in another big man would make sense.

It appears that is the case with reports from The Athletic, stating that Kenneth Faried will be working out with the Lakers.

The 31-year-old played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the summer league last month. He normed 5.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in three games with Portland.

Faried’s last official NBA game happened during the 2018-19 season, where he suited up for the Houston Rockets.

At that time, he averaged 12.9 points and 8.2 boards in 25 games with the Rockets. He took his act to the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions in November 2019 and appeared in just seven games.

According to reports, Faried’s contract with the Lions was terminated a month later due to a lack of recovery tools and resources.

Faried is an undersized big man at just 6-foot-8. But with the bulk of the work likely to fall on the shoulders of Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan and Anthony Davis, he could be utilized for added toughness on the floor.

However, it would be best to note that Faried is only being given a workout. It is not an assurance that he would be taken in.

Rather, it may be the Lakers’ way of trying to find out if the New Jersey native still has something to contribute at the NBA level.

Faried started his career with the Denver Nuggets from 2011 to 2018. Aside from the Rockets, he also had a short stint with the Brooklyn Nets.

The best year he had in the NBA was during the 2013-14 NBA season. In his junior year, he normed 13.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 27.2 minutes per outing in 80 games.

Aside from that, Faried was also a member of the United States national team that won the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He was also among the finalists in the 2016 Olympic team.