Klay signed to the Mavericks for 50 million in 3 years, Harden stayed with the Clippers for 70 million in 2 years, and Wallan joined the Wizards for 30 million in 3 years. James is willing to cut his salary by 20 million to bring in the three major goals, and the Lakers are all empty. Nick Wright complained: "Pelinka's incompetence is incomprehensible, you have the greatest player of our time in your team, and he is willing to take a pay cut to bring in reinforcements for the team!" ”
As of 10:30 a.m. Beijing time on July 2, the Lakers have not taken any other action except for the 4-year 32 million contract extension of Christie. The Clippers next door, although they lost George, have signed Harden to a new contract and have also signed Derrick Jones Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., Batum, Dunn and Bamba in a row.
What's next for the Lakers? Who else can they bring in?
The Lakers' first choice became DeRozan
Team reporter Jovan Buha said that the Lakers have shifted their focus to DeRozan, which James is also willing to take a pay cut. The Lakers could try to sign DeRozan with a full mid-range, or sign the Bulls star for three years, as Klay did with the Mavericks, but that would require the Bulls' cooperation.
Back in his hometown of Los Angeles, DeRozan is the Lakers' top pick, but Buha points out that DeRozan has two problems, and these two problems are similar to Westbrook. For one, DeRozan is not a player who can stretch the space. Second, his defensive prowess is below the league average. DeRozan needs to have the ball in his hands to be efficient, and he has a strong mid-range shooting ability and average long-range shooting ability. Buha also compared Jerami Grant, who thinks DeRozan is a better player, but for the Lakers, Grant is a better player for their needs. Grant stands out defensively and has shot over 40 percent from three-point range for the past two seasons.
"For the Lakers, in order to bring in DeRozan, the team may have to make a trade with a third-party team, such as sending Russell or Vincent," Fischer said. The Nets have been open to Russell's return since the last trade deadline. "Replacing Russell with DeRozan, can the Lakers improve significantly? Not necessarily, I'm afraid
What other targets do the Lakers have?
In addition to DeRozan, the American media mentioned four other names: Tyus Jones, Trent Jr., Lee Kyle and Hield, let's take a look at whether they are suitable for the Lakers.
Tyus Jones
Jones is a very efficient shooter and can also play as a second ball handler. In the 2023-24 season, Jones played in 66 games for the Wizards, averaging 12 points, 2.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 48.9% from the field, 41.4% from three-point range, and 80% from the free throw line. Despite his short stature (1.85m), he is an excellent defensive player and has an extremely low turnover rate. He's ranked first in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio for six consecutive seasons. He can be targeted by the middle class or obtained through a signing. Some American media think that he is a perfect fit for the Lakers.
Little Trent
Trent Jr.'s biggest role is to shoot from the outside. He can solve the shooting problem that new coach Redick has repeatedly highlighted. The 25-year-old guard averaged 13.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game last season while shooting 39.3 percent from three-point range and 38.6 percent from three-point range in his career. He was also expected to accept a mid-range offer, but on the defensive end, Trent Jr. was lackluster. The Lakers didn't play well on the wing last season, as Vanderbilt and Vincent, who excel at perimeter defense, missed a lot of games due to injuries.
Lee Kyle
Lee is a striker who plays at a strange pace and is often able to get rid of defenders. He's also a solid defender. In the 2023-24 season, he played a major bench role with the Timberwolves, averaging 6.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 46% from the field, 22.9% from three-point range, and 70.8% from the free throw line. His annual salary may not reach the full middle class, and if the Lakers sign him, they can save some money.
However, Lee's inconsistent three-point shooting is a big problem. In the 2022-23 season, Lee Kaier's three-point shooting rate was as high as 41%, a career high, and in the 2023-24 season, his three-point shooting rate was only 22.9%, a career low. There is news that the Celtics are interested in Lee Kyle.
Hilde
Hield is one of the league's top scorers, shooting 40 percent from three-point range in his career, including 38.6 percent last season. However, the 76ers don't think highly of him, and he has only played four of his six playoff games, averaging only 12.8 minutes per game, and has not been reused.
The Lakers have been interested in Hield for more than a day or two, and if they can take advantage of his low value, they may gain a lot. Like Trent Jr., Hield fits Redick's three-point system and will be a good helper for James.
Which player would you like to see the Lakers bring in? Feel free to leave a message to express your opinions.