Lakers News: Insiders Speculate On LA's Summer Mo Bamba Decision

Will LA retain its newly-acquired 3-and-D backup center next year?

3-and-D reserve Los Angeles Lakers center Mo Bamba has had a rough go of it since first donning the ol' purple and gold in February. He played in just seven games for LA before being felled with a high left ankle injury, which could cost him the rest of the 2022-23 NBA regular season. 

Across those seven contests, he averaged 4.4 points on .417/.333/.545 shooting splits, 5.3 rebounds and 0.6 blocks a night. LA head coach seemed to generally prefer the defense of fellow reserve big man Wenyen Gabriel over Bamba's floor-spacing offensive upside, meaning Bamba occasionally was a healthy scratch prior to the ailment.

In the latest episode of his The HoopsHype Podcast, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto talked with The Athletic's resident Lakers beat reporter Jovan Buha about Bamba's future in LA.

"Mo Bamba’s $10.3 million salary is non-guaranteed for next season," Scotto observed. "The Lakers could get a backup center for cheaper than that, in my opinion. I think he’s a bit more on the bubble [than Malik Beasley, who also has a team option for 2022-23] in terms of his future with the Lakers."

"Mo’s situation is tricky," Buha responded. "It’s unfortunate he got injured and is going to be out for multiple weeks. I think he started to kind of find his groove as a backup five. He has a really unique skillset as a three-and-D seven-footer. Offensively, he can space the floor. We know about his size and rim protection."

Scotto and Buha have salient points. Bamba didn't exactly impress Ham in his few available games, and a big man with a jumper could probably be had for cheaper in free agency this summer.

Bamba may still have some untapped upside that could make him worth a look, but at this point it's just not prudent for LA to invest that much money in a player who remains very much a project.

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