3 minimum free agents that can bolster the Los Angeles Lakers defense

By Jason Reed | Apr 21, 2022

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(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. Mike Muscala

Mike Muscala was previously part of one of the most head-scratching trades in Los Angeles Lakers history. The Lakers acquired Muscala for the package of Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley, only for Muscala to play half a season with the Lakers and not even play well at that.

This offseason Muscala has a club option worth $3.5 million with the Oklahoma City Thunder. While it would not be all that expensive to keep Muscala around, there is a chance, depending on who the Thunder draft, that they simply let Muscala become a free agent so he does not restrict a young guy from playing.

Muscala would likely get the minimum on the open market and would bring the same kind of impact to the Lakers as Nemanja Bjelica would. He is a floor-spacing big who can play next to Anthony Davis and can realistically operate as either the four or the five in today’s game.

Muscala has always been a relatively good defender as he finished the 2021-22 season with a 1.2 DBPM. His career BPM is just a touch over average at 0.2, but he has posted DBPMs of 1.0 or higher three times in his career.

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The Lakers didn’t really have a true backup four last season and that hurt the team with Anthony Davis missing so much time. Muscala could be just that as well as someone who helps space the floor when Davis is on the court as well.

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