Los Angeles Lakers: Realistic tier 2 free agents to target
By Ethan Temkin
Free agency is quickly approaching. We’re taking a look at some of the tier two players for the Los Angeles Lakers to target.
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to be busy the next few weeks. As we get closer and closer to the 2019 NBA free agency, the NBA landscape continues to shift in unexpected ways. Playoff disappointments, draft lotteries, trade rumors, and cap-clearing moves have all contributed to an ever-changing free-agent market.
The Los Angeles Lakers are finding themselves smack-dab in the middle of all this craziness after an unexpected rise from eleven to four in the NBA Draft order has dramatically altered how this team will approach free agency this year
It’s already been mentioned in both the Tier 4 and Tier 3 articles, but again, the Lakers will have around $35M in cap space this summer and have a variety of options in which they can use it. That is, barring any sudden trades involving a certain uni-browed power forward from the New Orleans Pelicans, They can build on the edges and use that money on players in the Tier 3/4 category or they can swing for the fences and sign a max-level player in the Tier 1/2 category.
Just what makes a Tier 2 player you ask? I’ve classified players in the T2 category as high-end starters — fringe All-Star candidates, and potential second or third options on a competitive team. These guys aren’t going to lead your team to a championship, but they are going to be an essential part to it.
These are five players from the second tier that the Lakers could target to upgrade the team.