The Los Angeles Lakers should sign this former all-star

The NBA offseason is upon us. Fans from all fanbases are excited to see what their teams do to elevate their teams to the next level. For Los Angeles Lakers fans, this is going to be one wild offseason. It’s already gotten off to a hot start as rumors of all-star guard Kyrie Irving joining the team have intensified.

However, this isn’t the only former all-star the team should be going after. There is a player that is right there for the Lakers to snag and have an immediate impact. That player is none other than Victor Oladipo.

Why the Los Angeles Lakers should sign Victor Oladipo

The former Hoosier was a solid player since entering the league with Orlando. However, it wasn’t until his fifth year that Oladipo took off. He put up career numbers averaging 23.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 2.4 SPG.

This effort was enough to earn him an all-star game appearance and 2017-2018 All NBA honors. It’s been a rough slate for Oladipo since. The guard has dealt with some serious injuries over the past few years, including a knee injury in 2019 that kept him out for 371 days.

Since then, the former second overall pick has had difficulty finding a stable home. This isn’t as much on Oladipo as it is, just unlucky circumstances. Bouncing around from team to team, Oladipo didn’t have a stable environment to play basketball and still put up solid numbers averaging almost 20 PPG. Though it was a small sample size, he flashed signs of his old self.

Oladipo’s eight regular-season games and a solid playoff run are what have fans excited. He looked great showing great energy, defense, and ability to score. Oladipo would be almost a match made in heaven for the Lakers.

A guard that can play great defense and be an efficient offensive player. He could be a breath of fresh air on defense, playing tough and gritty defense while being able to create turnovers.

Oladipo would have to sign for a non-taxpayer MLE worth $6.4 million or a veteran minimum due to the Lakers’ cap situation. This isn’t unreasonable, seeing as Oladipo just signed the league minimum with the Heat last offseason.

The biggest concern with bringing in Oladipo is health. The league knows he’s a great player when healthy. But with the Lakers dealing with tons of injuries, last season is bringing in a guard with a rough injury history a good idea?

I think it is worth it for the Los Angeles Lakers if they can get him on the right deal. It would be worth it if the team could get just 70% of 2018 Victor Oladipo.