Once the dust settled after the Los Angeles Lakers signed LeBron James, the roster appeared to have a glaring weakness at center. The only viable options were journeyman JaVale McGee and third-year big man Ivica Zubac.
However, Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka dismissed concern. Johnson named Michael Beasley and Kyle Kuzma as candidates to play center in a league that was shifting to smaller lineups anyhow.
The Lakers experimented with Beasley and Kuzma at center during the preseason, leading to negative results. That carried into the regular season as they struggled to defend and rebound whenever McGee was not in the game.