Exploring four trade targets for the Los Angeles Lakers in an attempt to solve their 3-point shooting woes.
Short of landing Kyrie Irving (which is looking less and less likely), the Los Angeles Lakers will likely be heading into the 2022-23 NBA season with roughly the same pieces – with a few adjustments here and there. At the same time, that’s not to say that said adjustments are upgrades.
I won’t go as far as to say that.
With that said, aside from getting healthy, there is one area in which the Lakers need to be better – and that’s when it comes to their 3-point shooting. Last season, the Lakers were in the bottom third of the league in 3-point shooting and they lost their best 3-point shooter (Malik Monk) in free agency.
Of the players that the Lakers have signed in free agency thus far – Troy Brown Jr., Lonnie Walker IV, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Damian Jones – none of them would be categorized as 3-point specialists.
In an attempt to solidify their shooting, we explore five realistic trade targets for the Lakers.
Gabe Vincent, Miami Heat
Especially if the Los Angeles Lakers elect to move Russell Westbrook for a shooter or a big, or even for whatever they can have to simply get him off the roster, they should explore a potential move for a point guard that can shoot.
In that event, a player like Gabe Vincent would make some sense. He proved over the course of last season that he could be a capable plug-and-start and became one of the team’s most consistent contributors in the playoffs.
He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective, especially as he’s grown to be a better defensive player, and is coming off a season in which he shot 37 percent from 3-point range. He’d certainly be a fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Bojan Bogdanovic, Utah Jazz
As he enters the final year of his contract with the Utah Jazz, Bojan Bogdanovic is likely going to be an NBA Trade Deadline (or before) target for many contenders looking to add some offensive punch to their starting lineup or off the bench.
Bogdanovic is getting up there in age but is coming off a highly productive season in which he averaged 18 points on 46 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from 3-point range. At this stage of his career, he would be a great third option next to LeBron and AD.
If the Lakers are willing to send the Jazz a first-round draft pick, there’s no question that he would be a fit for the team. The big question is, would the Lakers be open to moving the assets that it will take to land him?
Josh Richardson, San Antonio Spurs
It’s become abundantly clear that the San Antonio Spurs are heading into a full rebuild this offseason. The Spurs will likely be focused on developing their young talent and taking for the 2022-23 NBA season.
It wouldn’t be all that surprising if the Spurs elected to trade some of their veteran talent. One player that could make some sense for the Lakers is Josh Richardson. He’s had an interesting start to his career and at 28 years old, could be looking for a change.
Perhaps joining a contender would help rejuvenate him. Coming off a season in which he averaged 11 points per game on 44 percent shooting from 3, he could be a fit for the Lakers. He’s also an expiring contract that wouldn’t cost much on the trade market.
Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
One combo guard that the Lakers could pursue in the next few weeks before the start of the season is Eric Gordon.
As his role has diminished for the Houston Rockets, Gordon could be looking for a change of scenery and it would probably be best for both parties. Gordon is still a valuable player in this league, even more so if he’s in a more defined role. And that would certainly be the case for the Lakers next to LeBron and AD.
Gordon has already been linked to the Lakers in the past and it wouldn’t really be surprising if they completed a trade for the veteran before the season starts – especially if some of their other trade discussions fall through.
Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers
Buddy Hield has been linked to the Lakers since last offseason and it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s a player they revisited now that he could be available on the trade market as the Indiana Pacers enter a rebuild.
Hield has two years remaining on his contract with Indiana but could be appealing due to his scoring prowess and 3-point ability. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 18 points per game on 36 percent shooting from deep.
He could be a great third option next to LeBron and AD and would be a much better fit than Russell Westbrook has been with the team.