The Los Angeles Lakers officially have one more roster spot to utilize in free agency this offseason but can make more room if needed. Regardless, the team should be picky with who is brought in to help round out the roster.
Los Angeles has really prioritized youth in free agency thus far which is a very welcome sight after the team only pursued older free agents last summer. That being said, signing a veteran player to fill out the roster is not out of the cards.
A big-name veteran who has made two All-Defensive teams has recently hit the market and some fans might want to see him in the purple and gold. The Portland Trail Blazers waived Eric Bledsoe, who will now enter NBA free agency.
Why the Lakers should avoid Eric Bledsoe in free agency at all costs
Eric Bledsoe might be a big name and he might have two All-Defensive honors to his name but he would not add anything beneficial to the Lakers next season. He even is in the Lakers’ range as he is definitely going to be a minimum signing at this point in the offseason and at this point in his career.
Bledsoe’s age is not even that big of an issue. Sure, he turns 33 in December, but with so much youth on the roster that is fine. It is the kind of player that Bledsoe is at this point in his career. The Lakers have seen this version of Bledsoe and it does not help the team.
Bledsoe is an undersized guard who cannot shoot threes consistently and no longer plays great defense. He would essentially be another version of Avery Bradley, who still remains unsigned along with several former Lakers from last season.
The 6’1″ guard shot 31.3% from beyond the arc last season and is only a career 33.6% three-point shooter. While Bledsoe can still help facilitate an offense, that is nowhere near enough for the Lakers to bring him in and use a roster spot on him.
Bledsoe is simply too inefficient offensively and his defense is not good enough to outweigh the offensive side of the ball. And while Bledsoe is definitely still above average on the defensive end, that is not really what the Lakers need right now. Plus, it is not like he is a complete stopper defensively. He is not going to swing things in the playoffs for the Lakers.
Lakers could add an elite defender in this potential free-agent target
The Los Angeles Lakers need to add defensive help in free agency and there is someone who could be an elite defender in Los Angeles.
If the Lakers want a defensive presence they should take a chance on a much younger player that theoretically has not hit their ceiling rather than sign a player who has undoubtedly regressed from their ceiling and will continue to.