1. Jeff Green
Jeff Green is not guaranteed to hit the free-agent market as he has a $4.9 million player option this offseason. That is right around where his market value is as a free agent and he is not going to turn down that money to take a minimum deal.
However, there is a chance that Green wants to go to a team that he views as a bigger contender and while the Denver Nuggets were better last season, the Lakers are still the Lakers and LeBron James is still LeBron James.
If the Lakers are unable to get Malik Monk back then it is plausible that they could spend the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception on a player like Green, which would pay him $6.4 million. State taxes aside, I am sure that Green would take a $1.5 million raise to go live and play basketball in Los Angeles.
Green had a down year last season but at his best he is a versatile three and D defender that would give the Lakers several intriguing lineup options. The versatility he gives a team is arguably more important than his actual talent as he can be a traditional wing as well as being a small-ball five.
To me, Jeff Green is a poor man’s Robert Covington and the Lakers are obviously not going to be able to get Covington. Getting a player of that mold, though, would be solid.