A complete lack of center quality and depth became a fatal flaw for the Los Angeles Lakers after the blockbuster Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, having been eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 4-1 first-round series defeat that finished on Wednesday night.
But as the Lakers undoubtedly look around the league searching for not just one, but multiple big men heading into next season, the Golden State Warriors may have the perfect low-cost option for them in the form of Trayce Jackson-Davis.
A limited role with the Warriors could have the Lakers (or another rival) target Trayce Jackson-Davis
Aside from surprise third-quarter minutes in Game 4, and extended Game 5 minutes due to the blowout loss, Jackson-Davis has scarcely been seen in the Golden State rotation over the second-half of the season.
The emergence of rookie center Quinten Post, along with the reliable experience of Kevon Looney, has seen Jackson-Davis go from permanent starter to completely out of the rotation from February onwards.
Despite this and the fact he was a late second-round pick, Jackson-Davis is hardly a prospect to be given up on simply based off the past few months. His rookie year with the Warriors was an excellent one, having averaged 17.2 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per 36 minutes.
There should still be optimism that Jackson-Davis can develop into at the very least a bonafide rotation player with Golden State, but there's also an argument that his skillset would be better utilized elsewhere.
The Lakers, for example, could use Jackson-Davis as a more traditional pick-and-roll player, rather than how the Warriors use their big men to facilitate split cuts or set a plethora of off-ball screens for Stephen Curry.
The 25-year-old's inability to finish layups at the rim has been a huge frustration for Golden State fans this season, but Jackson-Davis would likely get a far greater percentage of dunks simply by being spoon fed on the roll from Luka Doncic.
While only 6'9", Jackson-Davis has proven himself a strong rebounder and capable (albeit inconsistent) shot-blocker. His lack of offense beyond the restricted circle is problematic on the Warriors when Draymond Green is at the four, but it would be less so on another team who may have more shooting threats in the other two front court positions.
It's going to be interesting to see what Golden State does with Jackson-Davis this offseason, and whether they'd be willing to part ways if another team comes calling. His cheap contract as a 57th overall pick is incredibly valuable in the new era of tax aprons, which combined with minimal trade value could make for a low-cost, high upside target for the Lakers as they look to address a glaring hole.