The defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, are suffering through a major slump in their regular season right now. Yesterday, they lost their third game in a row as the Washington Wizard outclassed them 127-124.

The biggest factor for this slump has been injuries to key players like Dennis Schroder and superstar Anthony Davis. AD aggravated his Achilles tendon injury against the Nuggets and is set to miss at least four weeks.

Without Davis, the Lakers have a gaping hole in the paint with backups Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell unable to provide the same defensive cover as Davis. This has led to a big question: will the Lakers sign a legitimate big man before the buyout deadline?

Kendrick Perkins urges Lakers to sign Andre Drummond

The NBA buyout market right now has some marquee names, and Andre Drummond clearly stands out in the pack. While players like Blake Griffin and DeMarcus Cousins are in decline, Drummond is a player at the peak of his powers.

The 27-year-old is an expert rebounder of the ball and is capable of producing a double-double every night, and former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins is certainly impressed with the 2-time All-Star. The 2008 NBA champion claimed that Drummond is the solution to the Lakers’ problems. He said:

“They are [in trouble], especially without Anthony Davis. They have to figure things out, offensively. Their offense is too stagnant, it’s not going to work with LeBron James and Marc Gasol running the high pick and roll. They need a dynamic roller, a lob threat in the basket, a guy like Andre Drummond. Defensively, they do not have that guy with Anthony Davis being out. This is what they miss JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard a shot blocker. The Wizards got whatever they wanted last night in the paint. They got to the free throw line. They (Lakers) need to get them another athletic big.”

Can the champions sign Drummond?

The Lakers recently waived off their backup guard Quinn Cook. This has opened up a roster spot for the team and given them some cap space to dive into the buyout market.

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With players like Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Drummond available, the Lakers need to decide who they want to bring in. While Drummond might provide the necessary size and athleticism, his massive salary is a cause for concern.

According to his current contract, the 27-year-old is set to earn a whopping $28,751,775, and the Lakers will be unable to pay such a hefty salary. But with six months left on his contract, the 2-time All-Star can take a massive pay cut for the champions and sign a veteran minimum contract for a year.

If he does, he can help the Lakers retain the championship, and he will then have huge leverage to get a massive contract in the near future. Is a prime Drummond ready to sacrifice an enormous contract?