Lakers Rumors: Team Interested In Tobias Harris
The Lakers have improved this offseason at point guard (via the draft), shooting guard (Kobe’s health, D’Angelo Russell can play here, too), power forward (Julius Randle’s health) and center (addition by subtraction via Jordan Hill’s exit). They’re last box to check: small forward.
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Please, Mitch Kupchak: do not make us watch another game of Wesley Johnson being Wesley Johnson.
Shams Charania of RealGM reports, however, that help might be on the way.
"The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks have also been long known as interested teams for Harris."
Harris is a more natural stretch-power forward, so whether he can actually play alongside Randle is a legitimate question that would need answering during training camp. That being said, though, the Lakers are not in a situation where they can be picky about the talent they acquire. Right now, it’s about assembling assets and allocating them accordingly.
Harris is extremely talented and was the Orlando Magic’s best player for portions of last season. He’d immediately become the Lakers’ best option at small forward, despite the less-than-ideal fit. And, if he’s brought in, and Byron Scott can show any kind of flexibility, imagine a run-and-gun lineup of Jordan Clarkson, Russell, Larry Nance Jr,, Harris and Randle. It could only be for stretches of the game, as that lineup is extremely undersized, but still.
The fastbreaks and pick-and-rolls would have fans drooling.
Charania did mention earlier in the article Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics are leading candidates heading into free agency, but if all teams are offering the same amount of money, the Lakers situation has to be pretty tempting for Harris. It’s also important to mention Harris is a restricted free agent, meaning the Magic can match any offer, but Charania and many other reporters have mentioned an unwillingness on Orlando’s part to give Harris a max offer.
Again, think of those fast breaks.
Do it, Mitch. We just have to hope it goes better than the last time the Lakers acquired an Orlando Magic player who wore number 12.