Despite a banged-up body that has suffered numerous injuries, some people in the NBA still believe that veteran big man Andrew Bogut could still contribute. Count Luke Walton among them, as the Los Angeles Lakers head coach is being reported by NBA.com’s David Aldridge as one who lobbied hard for the recruitment of the former No. 1 overall draft pick.

Bogut is headed to Tinseltown after signing a one-year contract with the Lakers on Monday, and while he’s not expected to have a prominent role for the franchise, the glass work and rim protection are two of main things the Lakers are hoping to get from him, while also serving as Brook Lopez’s chief reliever.

The Lakers had the third-worst defense last season, allowing opponents to put up 112.5 points per game. Their interior defense was particularly bad, as they also ranked 28th in the league in points allowed in the paint per contests (47.5). With Lopez and Bogut in tow, the Lakers should see improvements in those areas, as noted also by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

Andrew Bogut and Luke Walton go way back with both men’s basketball careers intertwining a few years ago as part of the Golden State Warriors. Bogut played for the Warriors from 2012 to 2016, while Walton served as the team’s assistant coach from 2014 to 2016.

In 12 seasons in the NBA, Bogut has career averages of 10.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.