The Los Angeles Lakers are starting to find their rhythm after a rocky start to the season and Tyson Chandler is a huge reason for their turnaround. The Purple and Gold are on a three-game winning streak with Chandler on the roster, and the former Defensive Player of the Year is happy that he was able to join the Lakers this early in the season.
According to Ryan Ward of ClutchPoints, Tyson Chandler is “thankful” to be able to reach a buyout with the Phoenix Suns and sign with the Lakers, adding that he prefers the situation rather than moving during the trade deadline.
Tyson Chandler says he was thankful for being able to join the #Lakers at this point in the season opposed around the trade deadline in Feb.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 13, 2018
Chandler's box score stats from his first three games don't jump off the page. In fact, he's only scored nine total points in three games. He has racked up 25 rebounds in those three games, but his biggest impact is felt on the defensive end. Chandler announced his presence on Sunday in the Lakers' one-point victory over the Atlanta Hawks when he blocked a potential game-winning floater from Trae Young.
The Lakers had trouble finding a second-unit center to back up JaVale McGee, but Chandler has filled that void. This means that head coach Luke Walton doesn't need to resort to using LeBron James or Kyle Kuzma at the center position for long stretches of time.
Who knows whether or not the Lakers would have been able to trade for Chandler down the line, but luckily for them, they didn't have to worry about putting together a package. Instead, Los Angeles was able to lure Chandler away without trading away valuable assets.
He has made a huge impact on the Lakers and both sides appear to be happy with how they came together.
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