The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office is considering signing a free agent due to their injury woes, according to reports.
The Los Angeles Lakers have not had a lot of luck in the health department in recent memory.
Luke Walton’s squad is still dealing with an inactive Josh Hart, who has not played since February 26. At the tail end of said month, Hart fractured a metacarpal in his left hand while practicing.
The Lakers have also battled their way through playing without Brandon Ingram of late. The second year small forward has not seen any action since the beginning of March due to a groin injury. This unfortunate circumstance has challenged the team’s depth at the three.
The purple and gold were struck with even more bad news on Saturday. Per a report from ESPN, Isaiah Thomas will not be available for the rest of the road trip because of a sore right hip.
Although the Lakers stole a win from the Memphis Grizzles on Saturday, the need for more bodies is imperative at this stage. Given that there are only ten games to go, overplaying guys cannot keep occurring. Doing so could potentially raise the odds of causing another injury. That would not be ideal headed into the offseason.
Walton recognized the depth issues after Saturday’s game concluded, and cited that reinforcements are on the way. The guaranteed help will come in the form of rookie Thomas Bryant and Gary Payton II. However, Walton hinted that additional assistance may come in the near future as well.
Per Laker Nation’s Corey Hansford (originally via Spectrum SportsNet), Walton said the following regarding the bodies that will be added to the roster.
"“There’s a chance Brandon can play. We’re going to have Thomas Bryant, we’re going to have Gary Payton with us from the G League. So we’ll have more bodies. And I know the front office has been looking at some different player options to fill in as well if Brandon’s still not ready.”"
The perfect case scenario would certainly be the former. Ingram has been one of the Lakers’ best assets all year long and has made major strides from his shaky rookie campaign.
According to a recent report from team reporter Mike Trudell, Ingram is progressing. Despite that truth, he disclosed on Sunday that Ingram will likely not play on Monday against Detroit.
Brandon Ingram played some 2-on-2 today as he continues to progress, but he will likely be out tomorrow in Detroit as he’s not yet game ready.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 25, 2018
If B.I. is not in the lineup, it is encouraging that Walton will have more to work with off the bench. L.A. is short-handed these days, so any extra manpower is a definite plus.
Christian Rivas of SB Nation noted that a trio of Lakers played 40-plus minutes Saturday evening. Albeit Walton has been usually spreading out minutes this season, the slew of injuries essentially forced the coach to take drastic measures.
To avoid the drastic measures from becoming a pattern, to have the luxury of using players from the G League is worth taking advantage of. It not only gives Walton more options but will provide the players with an opportunity to prove themselves. Any opportunity should ultimately bestow them with more confidence, too.
Especially in the case of Bryant, it would allow him to get his land legs. He has only played in garbage time for the Lakers, but the thinner bench (and the fact the season is thinning out) may persuade Walton to give the big man some minutes.
The fact that the team is mulling over a free agency signing is interesting, though. There are not a lot of games left, so it is easy to wonder whether Ingram will be seen again in 2017-2018. It is feasible that the team could potentially shut him down to be safe.
Thus, acquiring a player would make sense for Los Angeles. It would probably be a 10-day rental as was the case with Derrick Williams. As a result, it would be a low-risk, cheap option to grant Walton with more flexibility.
Having a couple extra pieces in Bryant and Payton II will help. However, because the Lakers’ roster is thin even with them aboard, knowing they are exploring free agents is promising.
Next: Challenges still exist for the Lakers
Hopefully, if the Lakers’ front office chooses to reach out to a current free agency, he will be ready to answer the call. The team has cracks that need to be filled in. Thus, if anyone out there catches the Lakers’ attention, expect the purple and gold to pounce.