Los Angeles Lakers: Traded players who could now be buyout targets
By Jason Reed
Potential Los Angeles Lakers buyout target: Kelly Olynyk
If the Los Angeles Lakers are going to sign anyone from the Victor Oladipo trade that gets bought out then I would rather it be Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk was traded alongside Bradley to match Oladipo’s salary and the logic is the same: the Rockets do not want to win basketball games.
Olynyk has a better case of being bought out as he is a true contributor and could make a difference on the Rockets. Albeit not a big one, but a difference nonetheless.
Olynyk does enter a bit of a roster log-jam on the Lakers as he is a four/five, which would entail splitting minutes with Kyle Kuzma, Anthony Davis and Montrezl Harrell. However, Olynyk can essentially be a much better version of Markieff Morris, who has not played well this season.
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Olynyk is not the best shooter but he has gotten hot for extended periods beyond the arc and he is not the most prolific scorer. However, he is someone who can go out and get the Lakers 10 points and five boards a night while Davis is hurt and then provide needed big-man depth once he returns.
He can certainly hold his own defensively and while it is not the best option, Olynyk could help with some of the defensive mismatches the Lakers have in certain matchups down low.