Feb 8, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Tarik Black (28) dunks the ball in front of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) in the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
The Tough Decisions
Of the five remaining non-guaranteed contracts — Tarik Black, Brown, Holmes, Frazier and Jabari Brown — at least two of them should make the team.
With the Anthony Brown and Frazier signings, the Lakers hinted at moving toward the way the game is played today and finally embraced three-point shooters.
Both guys do similar things, but it seems more likely the organization will stick with their original draft pick over Frazier who went undrafted. They may try to stash him with their D-League affiliate.
The Incumbents
In a perfect world, the Lakers would find a way to somehow package Ryan Kelly, Robert Sacre and/or Nick Young and turn them into second round picks or other assets.
Kelly is a stretch four much like Ryan Anderson, which many teams prefer, but Kelly is nearly non-existent on the other end of the floor.
It’s possible Young could have a turn around the likes of J.R. Smith with Cleveland, but his production over the past few seasons has been at an all-time low.
| Season | Age | Tm | G | MP | FGA | FG% | 3PA | 3P% | 2P% | eFG% | FTA | FT% | ORB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 27 | PHI | 59 | 23.9 | 9.2 | .413 | 3.6 | .357 | .449 | .482 | 2.2 | .820 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 10.6 |
| 2013-14 | 28 | LAL | 64 | 28.3 | 13.9 | .435 | 5.5 | .386 | .468 | .511 | 4.5 | .825 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 17.9 |
| 2014-15 | 29 | LAL | 42 | 23.8 | 11.3 | .366 | 5.4 | .369 | .363 | .453 | 3.5 | .892 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 13.4 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/11/2015.
That brings us to Sacre. Although he represents what a model teammate should be, Sacre has yet to show any improvement since entering the league.
With all of that in mind, the Lakers should buy out Kelly’s contact. It would make the most sense contractually. Sacre and his non-guaranteed deal should be waived. Lastly, Young either learns to become a team player, or he should get moved for picks at a later date.
Next: Who's Getting Cut?