4 recent lottery picks the Lakers can sign in free agency
By Jason Reed
1. Jalen Smith
The Phoenix Suns really messed up with Jalen Smith, who the team took with the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. It has only been a year and a half since Smith was taken in the draft by the Suns and he is already a free agent looking for (potentially) his third team.
Smith never really got a chance to play in Phoenix, who could have taken Tyrese Haliburton with this pick, and his tenure with the team was short-lived. Phoenix did the very rare thing of not picking up his team option for his third season, which made his second year with the team a contract year for Smith.
The Suns were being cheap and they eventually traded Smith and a second-round pick at the deadline to the Indiana Pacers for Torey Craig. Smith got more playing time in Indiana and that potential started to shine through, which should interest the Lakers.
Indiana is a rebuilding team and they very well could look to bring back Smith because of that potential. However, if Smith is only going to get minimum offers then he is better suited joining a big-market team like the Lakers where he could raise his value on a big stage.
Smith has potential as a big wing who can play the four and even some small-ball center with a floor-spacing presence. After being traded to Indiana, Smith shot 37.3% from beyond the arc in 3.8 attempts per game.
The Lakers could use a backup four that can space the floor and add a shot-making presence to put alongside Russell Westbrook. His defense might be a big question mark but there is no better player to learn from than Anthony Davis.