Los Angeles Lakers: 5 minimum signings that would’ve been perfect in LA

Mar 28, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (17) guards Orlando Magic forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) as he heads down court in the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (17) guards Orlando Magic forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) as he heads down court in the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers were very active in free agency and most of the moves that the team made (out of necessity) were veteran minimum signings. The team was able to splurge a bit on Talen Horton-Tucker with his Bird Rights and signed Kendrick Nunn to the Taxpayer’s Mid-Level Exception.

Outside of that and those already on the roster, the rest of the team is made up of minimum contract players.

Despite the potential concern of hearing that and the way that people have been bringing down the Lakers, Rob Pelinka actually did a great job in building out a full roster full of quality rotation players. That being said, there are some veteran minimum players that did not sign with LA that would have been perfect on this team.

The five minimum signings that would have been perfect on the Los Angeles Lakers:

5. Nemanja Bjelica

Nemanja Bjelica signed a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors and you know that he is going to thrive because of it. Already a naturally gifted three-point shooter, Bjelica is going to thrive in the Warriors’ system as a stretch four off the bench that can add size and range.

Bjelica did struggle from beyond the arc last season but he has enough of a track record where we can chalk it up as a bad season and give him the benefit of the doubt. Prior to last season’s 31.8%, Bjelica posted three straight seasons shooting above 40% from beyond the arc.

He is not going to be much of a defender but he still would have been a good fit in LA. While he is probably the least talented of the players on this list, he would have added depth to the power forward position while giving the team another shooting option off the bench.