Brett Davis – USA TODAY Sports
While the Los Angeles Lakers will have a decent amount of cap space this summer, they will still need to find diamond in the rough players who are willing to play on cheaper contracts. The team has struggled in recent years on defense, and needs to fill out their roster with more quality defenders who are willing to do the dirty work. Kyle O’Quinn will be a restricted free agent this summer, and is one player who the Lakers should strongly consider pursuing as a backup big man.
O’Quinn is the type of player that every winning team needs on their roster. He does not need plays run for him, and is willing to do anything to win games. Last season he struggled to find consistent minutes, but nonetheless played hard whenever he got into the game. He is not afraid to battle for rebounds to create second chances, or to make the hustle plays to give his team extra possessions.
Offensively he is far from a finished product, but as possibly the second or third big man off of the bench he does not necessarily need to be a go to scorer. He can score off of putbacks and lobs, and has showed a willingness to try to increase his shooting range. He started attempting 3-pointers last season, although he still needs a lot of work if he is to become a reliable shooter. Defensively, O’Quinn plays hard and is not afraid to mix it up. He displays good timing when attempting to block shots, and is big enough to play power forward or center. He is not a game-changer on defense, but can make enough plays to provide a spark off of the bench.
O’Quinn will likely be in the market for a minimum deal, as he did not have the season he hoped for last year. But he is a young prospect who at the very least can give good minutes with the second unit, and will work hard to get better. He will continue to improve on defense, and any offense is an added bonus. Signing O’Quinn would be good value for the organization and allow them to maintain flexibility in their pursuit for another star.
