Lakers Should Re-Sign Mo Bamba to Fill Out Roster amid Latest NBA Free Agency Rumors

The Los Angeles Lakers have been busy since NBA free agency began Friday. And their roster for the 2023-24 season is quickly coming into shape.

Since then, the Lakers have worked out deals to bring back guards D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves and forward Rui Hachimura. They've also signed guard Gabe Vincent, forwards Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince and center Jaxson Hayes.

So Los Angeles doesn't need to do much more this offseason. However, it does still have an open spot on its roster, and the team already has a plan for how to best utilize it.

According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, the Lakers are "targeting another big man" for their 14th roster spot. They have a couple of potential targets, too.

"They are likely to carry 14 guaranteed contracts into the season, leaving one roster spot open," Buha wrote. "Mo Bamba, whom the Lakers waived on Thursday, and Tristan Thompson, who joined the team right before their playoff run, remain options to fill that 14th spot, according to league sources."

Los Angeles isn't in a hurry, though. As Buha noted, the market for big men "has been dry so far during this free-agency period," which is why the Lakers could "wait to see if better options present themselves."

That's not a given, though. And that's why Los Angeles should bring back one of the post players it's already had on its roster before. But which one?

It should be an easy choice, because at this point, Bamba has higher upside than Thompson, making him a better fit to round out the Lakers' roster.

Bamba is still only 25 after playing five NBA seasons. The 7-footer had only been with the Orlando Magic until he was acquired by Los Angeles in a four-team trade on Feb. 9.

During his time with the Lakers, Bamba didn't showcase his full potential. He averaged 3.7 points in nine regular-season games and didn't score over his three playoff appearances with the team.

Meanwhile, the 32-year-old Thompson didn't sign with the Lakers until April 9, so he didn't play for the team until the postseason. He averaged 1.8 points in six playoff games.

Buha had previously reported that Bamba "has interest in staying with the Lakers." So they may not have to overpay to get him back on their roster. Of course, they may only offer him the veteran's minimum after previously waiving him on Thursday.

Bamba may not get many opportunities better than one to return to Los Angeles. If he returned, he'd be part of a team with a playoff-caliber roster that could make a deep run through the postseason in 2024.

It would likely also help Bamba that he'd get more time to become familiar with the Lakers' system. He's shown potential in the past (such as when he averaged 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 71 games for the Magic during the 2021-22 season), and he could play closer to that level as he gets more comfortable.

Bamba isn't likely to become a starter in Los Angeles. But he could potentially emerge as a key bench player and eventually be among the team's top reserve options in the post.

So while the Lakers should take a patient approach (especially given their lack of financial flexibility at this point), the best choice to round out their roster would be Bamba, who may end up surprising a bit in the 2023-24 season.