Los Angeles Lakers: 3 way-too-early midseason buyout candidates
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers will be a prime landing spot for buyout players during the season.
The Los Angeles Lakers did exactly what they needed to do this offseason. The front office did not get complacent after winning the NBA Championship and instead went to work — making the team better in the process.
First, Rob Pelinka swung an excellent trade for Dennis Schroder that sent Danny Green and the 28th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Green was subsequently traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Lakers then made a trio of really good free agency additions, bringing in Montrezl Harrell, Wesley Matthews and Marc Gasol. They were able to bring back both Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Markieff Morris as well.
The Lakers are the frontrunners for the 2021 NBA Championship after such a good offseason and they will not stop at any future ways to get better. There is still always the possibility of Kyle Kuzma being traded as well as the buyout market after the NBA trade deadline.
There will be players that are bought out and the Lakers are going to be a prime destination for those that are ring chasing, similarly to Morris, Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith last season.
Now, there are a few things that make up a buyout candidate. They have to be a free-agent or have a club option after this season — 99 percent of the time (looking at you, Nicolas Batum). They also have to not have much trade value.
Whether it be because of their age or because of their contract, these players cannot be someone who can get something on the trade market. Thus, someone such as J.J. Redick is off the table, as the Pelicans would trade him before buying him out 10/10 times.
Said player also has to be on a bad team. No team in playoff contention is going to buy someone out for the sake of buying them out.
Let’s get into some candidates.