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Los Angeles Lakers: Pass or pursue on 3 potential buyout targets

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball defended by Darius Miller #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on February 10, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball defended by Darius Miller #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on February 10, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Los Angeles Lakers pass or pursue on buyout targets: 2. Darius Miller

There have not been any reports of Darius Miller being bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. However, Miller has played a very small role on the team this season and is making over $7 million this season.

The Thunder can save some money by agreeing to a buyout while also doing a favor to Miller and his agent. The Thunder have nothing to play for and Miller is not really even playing as is. It would not be surprising, even if it is the Thunder, to see Miller get bought out.

The intrigue of Miller is as a sharpshooting specialist for the Lakers. The Lakers are not the greatest three-point shooting team in the league and need more shooters around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

MORE: 3 advantages the Los Angeles Lakers have over every other Western Conference team

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the best three-point shooter on the team but he is very inconsistent. Outside of KCP, the Lakers do not really have any viable threats to have a big three-point shooting night.

Miller has been a great shooter throughout his career. He is shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc in a small sample size this season and is a career 38.4% three-point shooter.

His advanced numbers are good on the surface as well. Miller has a 0.9 Offensive Box Plus/Minus and a 2.6 DBPM this season. However, that is in such a small sample size and the numbers get worse with larger sample sizes.

Every other year of his career he was in the negative in both OBPM and DBPM. There is a reason why he is not playing much on the Thunder.

So while it is easy to fall in love with those shooting numbers or the advanced statistics from this season, the bigger picture shows that he would not really add much to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Verdict: Pass

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