LAKERS OFFSEASON NO LEBRON JAMES BIG BOARD: #11 DAY’RON SHARPE
WRITTEN + EDITED BY JORDYN BONTRAGER
In Deandre Ayton, the Lakers front office elected to entrust a more established entity when it came time to embody their starting center spot last summer. The former #1 pick is better than most centers in the league in terms of pure talent but has yet to figure out a formula to get himself over the hump of mediocrity which continues to hinder him. He was better than most fans give him credit for throughout the duration of his inaugural year in LA, but chances are DA’s first season as the Lakers starting center will also serve as his last.
As the executive branch brainstorms their best options to occupy the new opening at starting center, notable names like Mitchell Robinson, Daniel Gafford and Nic Claxton will unquestionably remain heavily in consideration. However, there will be a couple lesser heralded options for the Pelinka administration to assess before issuing any final verdicts. One of those options just so happens to be Claxton’s backup in Brooklyn.
In Day’Ron Sharpe, Rob Pelinka would be putting his trust into an under-the-radar 6’10” x 265 pound punisher who has never been provided a proper shot to prove himself. We have seen Sharpe’s name circulated in correlation with the Lakers in the past, and there are numerous reasons for Robby P to pull the trigger on a transaction with Brooklyn.
The former Tar Heel tank will not turn 25 until early November, placing him right on track to grow on the same timeline as Luka and Reaves. Plus, his current contract is set to expire at next season’s end, which would also leave the Laker shot-callers some flexibility while fleshing out the long-term fit in the frontcourt.
Best case scenario: Sharpe shows out as a Daniel Gafford/Dereck Lively II descendent and finds a new place to call home for years to come. His menacing manners as a glass gobbler (career 12.9 rebounds/36 minutes) + imposing physicality make his presence prominent in the defensive paint. His thunderous capabilities operating from the dunker spot, undying appetite on the offensive boards (2.8 ORPG in 18.7 MPG this year compared to Ayton’s 2.6 ORPG in 27.2 MPG) and blistering work as a screen-setter all accompany his relocation. As do his silently superb passing skills that were on full display this szn (2.3 APG in 18.7 MPG).
Worst case scenario: Sharpe’s arrival does not according to the peachy and creamy plans. He struggles to adapt to the shift in playing for a pretender versus competing with a contender. The Los Angeles limelight shines a shimmer too bright for his taste. He never asserts himself as a legitimate starting center and finds himself relegated to bench duties/out of the rotation all season. The front office trades the last year of Jake LaRavia’s deal + a pick for a one year flyer rental on Sharpe, and he flops. Then, he leaves LA like nothing ever happened and that’s that.
Riddle us ridiculous, but the potential highs tied to a hypothetical Day’Ron Sharpe onboarding would immaculately outweigh the potential lows of said scenario. Pelinka picking him up in the near future would make too much sense.
