2. Joakim Noah
Perhaps the best and most versatile defender that appears on the list of available free agents is Joakim Noah. After having a couple of disappointing seasons in New York with the Knicks, he actually had a positive impact on a young Memphis Grizzlies team last season.
Most of his impact was felt on the defensive side of the ball, where he is still an energetic and active rim protector and defensive communicator. He even led the Grizzlies in defensive plus-minus last season. Noah would instantly come in and improve the Lakers’ defense when he is on the court and could help Davis defend fours instead of fives if he moves into the rotation.
Noah has had negative experiences with both LeBron James and Kurt Rambis, whose opinions both hold weight on any roster decision. However, both of them could presumably put their differences aside if it were to improve the chances for the team to win games next season.
He is known for having one of the ugliest shots in league history, but even at this stage of his career, he is still averaging over 7 points a game and even shot over 70 percent from the free-throw line last season. That means he is not as bad on offense as his reputation makes most people assume he is.
Given his personality, Noah could be a perfect fit on a team that struggled to play defense at times last season and even had a problem giving a max effort on most nights. He will have no problem getting in anyone’s face and telling them they made a mistake or did not put in their full effort, and that intangible quality could make him a great choice in this spot.