Los Angeles Lakers: Four free agents to sign with the mid-level exception

By Jason Reed | May 3, 2020

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 07: Aron Baynes #46 of the Phoenix Suns walks on the court during the second half the NBA game against the Sacramento Kings at Talking Stick Resort Arena on January 07, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Kings defeated the Suns 114-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Kyle Korver

Kyle Korver was an important bench shooter for the Cleveland Cavaliers during LeBron James’ second tenure with the team and I would not be shocked if the Los Angeles Lakers look to pair Korver up with LeBron James once more.

While Korver is getting up there in age, he is still a very reliable three-point shooter that could come off the bench and hit a few big swing threes in a playoff game. We see it every year: these are the types of players that can swing an entire series and having a sharpshooter like Korver on the bench would be massive.

Korver is shooting 41.5 percent from beyond the arc this season and is a career 42.9 percent three-point shooter. He does not add much more to the team outside of that, but the Lakers would not need much more out of him.

Now, you could make the case that Korver would be better off for the veteran minimum than the mid-level exception, as he will be turning 40 years old next March. There was also speculation that he was considering retirement before the 2019-2020 season, but a follow-up report claimed that Korver would play this season and potentially another.

Korver would be a one-year mid-level exception option and the only reason he is not a veteran minimum signing is that there is going to be competition to sign him. Any contending team with a shot at the title should want to add his three-point shooting to the bench, forcing the Lakers’ hand with the MLE.

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