Los Angeles Lakers: 3 way-too-early midseason buyout candidates

PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 09: Trevor Ariza #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers dunks the ball alongside Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat in the first quarter during their game at Moda Center on February 09, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 09: Trevor Ariza #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers dunks the ball alongside Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat in the first quarter during their game at Moda Center on February 09, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
4 of 4
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Garrett Temple

Garrett Temple is the wild card of this list but man would he be nice on the Los Angeles Lakers. As previously mentioned, the Lakers could use that extra wing defender off the bench to really round out that defensive group.

Kyle Kuzma is not a wing. Period. He is a negative on the defensive side of the floor and right now, with how this roster is constructed, he is the team’s option off the bench to be that wing defender. It is not a huge deal and the Lakers will be fine.

But it certainly does not hurt to improve that position down the stretch.

Temple is not an elite defender by any means but he is someone who can provide 10-15 above-average minutes off the bench. Temple is also intriguing due to the fact that he is versatile as a bench player.

The Lakers do not really need this how the roster is currently constructed but Temple does have experience playing the point and acting as a facilitator.

He is a wild-card buyout option because his contract is not that large. However, he is an older player on a poor team (the Chicago Bulls). It very well could be the case that no team is willing to send any future assets for Temple.

If that is the case and he does get bought out then he should absolutely be approached by the Los Angeles Lakers once they realize that Kuzma is not the bench wing that they are hoping for.