Mo Bamba 2023 Lakers Player Capsule

2022-23 Season Summary:
Acquired by the Lakers from Orlando in a trade deadline deal, Mo Bamba’s impact in Los Angeles was limited by an ankle injury that kept him to only nine appearances in Purple and Gold, plus 11 total minutes in the playoffs. The 7’0’’ center did flash some of the skills that made him appealing as a trade target, with his somewhat rare combination of rim protection (1.3 career blocks per game) and 3-point shooting (38.7% for the season). Bamba played more than 20 minutes only twice, but was impactful each time, scoring 10 points with 13 boards vs. Golden State (Feb. 23) plus 12 points with 7 boards at OKC (March 1) before the high ankle sprain on March 5.

By The Numbers:
98: Total minutes played for the Lakers. 

19.2: Bamba’s rebound percentage – the percentage of boards he grabbed while on the court – besting Anthony Davis’s 17.7, if in a very limited sample size. 

4: Bamba’s season high in 3-pointers made, on 11/18 while still in Orlando; his Lakers high of 3 came on March 1.

Moving Forward:
At age 25, the former No. 6 overall pick by Orlando in 2018 took a bit of a step back in 2022-23, as he’d started 69 of 71 games the prior season, but just seven of his 49 games this year, losing 10 minutes of playing time per game. Bamba did manage to slightly increase his shooting efficiency both overall (48.5% up from 48.0%) and from three (38.7% up from 38.1%), with his rebounding and blocked shots decreased a tad per 36 minutes relative to the year prior. The New York City native is better off the ball than on it as a defender, and primarily picked and popped on offense. Bamba’s talent remains plenty enticing; can he bring a more consistent level of improvement and production to the table after a strong offseason? If so, there are many teams – the Lakers included – that can use a rim-protecting big that can space the floor on the other end.