The Los Angeles Lakers need all the help they can get to overcome the ill-effects of LeBron James' recent absence and make the playoffs. Unfortunately for Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, though, one of their targets on the buyout market signed with a conference rival. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the team was interested in signing Enes Kanter before the veteran big man decided to join the Portland Trail Blazers:

The 26-year-old was removed from the New York Knicks' rotation last month, after coach David Fizdale told him the team was embracing a youth movement over the second half of the season. That decision never sat well with Kanter, who averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in 25.6 minutes per game with the Knicks before leaving the team as management worked to find a trade for him. Kanter was officially waived last week.

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It's unclear where the former top-five pick fits in with the Blazers, who prize outside shooting from their big men other than starting center Jusuf Nurkic. He would have occupied a similarly complicated position with the Lakers as a reserve big man without legitimate 3-point range who exists as an imminent defensive liability. Kanter certainly has his strengths, though, beginning with his knack for scoring ability in the paint and cleaning the offensive glass.

Would he be a better fit for Los Angeles behind JaVale McGee than Mike Muscala or Tyson Chandler? In certain situations and matchups, absolutely. The Lakers, like most teams, would certainly benefit from a few garbage buckets per game. But opposing teams will target Enes Kanter over and over again in the playoffs, essentially rendering him unplayable, just as they have throughout his brief postseason career.