The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a season in which they had a great regular season. Then they failed expectations when the Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. Now, they head into the 2025 NBA free agency with an urgent need to fix what ails them.

Most people realize that the Lakers lost that series because of their inability to win the board battle, and they need to find the best NBA free agent. Thus, they must avoid the temptation to sign Precious Achiuwa in the 2025 NBA free agency because he will not solve their biggest need.

The current NBA free agent list just got thinner after Steven Adams signed an extension to stay with the Houston Rockets. The remaining players on the list all have potential. However, the Lakers must resist the urge to go after the biggest (in name value and not size) free agent available. What they need is someone to protect the rim.

With over $59 million in cap space, the Lakers have money to spend. However, they must use those finances wisely and sign a guy who can help defend the rim.

The best course of action in the Lakers' 2025 free-agency period would be to sign a center or power forward who can be that guy who does the dirty work while Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves score. Achiuwa has potential, but there are three reasons why he would not be a good fit.

Lakers would give Precious Achiuwa inconsistent minutes

Achiuwa was already averaging just 20 minutes for the Knicks. In those 20 minutes, he averaged 6.6 points per game. Achiuwa earned $6 million to come off the bench and be incredibly inconsistent. Furthermore, he did not help his case in the NBA Playoffs when his minutes shrunk to a point where he barely played.

The Knicks listed him as a center, but he is 6'8. If the Lakers signed him, he would probably hover around the small or power forward positions. Of course, he would be behind LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.

Even Jarred Vanderbilt would be ahead of him in the pecking order. The Lakers, like the Knicks, don't have a trustworthy bench. Would they justify giving an inconsistent player like Achiuwa more minutes if he does not consistently perform?

The player the Lakers need to sign is someone they plan to play a significant number of minutes. At this point, the goal is to get larger and also give James a breather so he is not playing 44 minutes a game.

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Precious Achiuwa's limited shooting hurts his case in NBA free agency

New York Knicks forward Precious Achiuwa (5) grabs a rebound against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Madison Square Garden.
John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Achiuwa's poor shooting was a big reason why the Knicks did not play him a lot in the playoffs. Sadly, he shot just 6-for-15 in the postseason. It was a major dropoff from the regular season, when he hit 50.2 percent of his shots.

There was potential for Achiuwa, as he ended the regular season with 18 points while shooting 8-for-18. Yet, he would also have games where he would score nothing. Inconsistency was the word for Achiuwa, and he just could not find a rhythm all season.

There were times when the Lakers would fall into a major rut. If they are to sign a player in free agency, they need someone who is capable of taking over a game when Doncic, James, and Reaves cannot. Achiuwa does not fall into that category.

Precious Achiuwa is not NBA free agent who would best fit Lakers

Before Adams signed with the Rockets, he would have been a great fit. Achiuwa is not the NBA free agent the Lakers must pursue. Other options could be better. Significantly, Myles Turner would be the perfect NBA free agent for the Lakers to sign in the NBA offseason. This Lakers 2025 free-agency period needs to have a splash, and Achiuwa would not be the best fit.

Achiuwa is not an awful player. No, there have been times when he has looked amazing for the Knicks. But for the Lakers, they need another impact player, and someone with deep playoff experience would also be good.

Achiuwa did not get much playing time in the playoffs, showing how little the Knicks trust him. Then why would the Lakers trust him? It just would not be a good fit.

After failing to acquire a center in 2024 NBA free agency, the Lakers need to remedy that wrong in 2025 NBA free agency. Now is the time for the Lakers to acknowledge their shortcomings and stop relying solely on James, Doncic, and Reaves to outscore the competition. The Oklahoma City Thunder just proved you need a lot more to win an NBA title.