The Los Angeles Lakers did not have many methods of improving the roster over the summer. The team was limited financially because of Russell Westbrook and they did not have many assets to trade. Nobody should have expected a huge offseason from Los Angeles.
That being said, it made the decisions that the front office did make that much more important. And to give credit where it is due, Rob Pelinka and co. hit home runs with certain moves. Lonnie Walker IV has been one of the biggest breakout role players in the entire league.
However, they also missed the boat with other players, such as Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones. Los Angeles seemed more inclined to do LeBron a favor and sign a Klutch Sports client like Toscano-Anderson or Troy Brown Jr. than they were to signing the best options available.
Making it even more painful is the fact that there was another free agent from the Warriors non-named Juan Toscano-Anderson that would have been a perfect fit. And what do you know: he is balling out this season.
Not signing Damion Lee is still haunting the Los Angeles Lakers.
While the Lakers were working out deals with Klutch clients, the Phoenix Suns were working out a deal with a far better free agent. Damion Lee was quickly scooped up by the Suns on a minimum contract and he has more than earned that deal this season.
The six-five two-guard is averaging 21.4 minutes off the bench in the Suns’ rotation this season. He is averaging 8.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while playing serviceable defense. Most notably, Lee is shooting 92% from the free-throw line and 47.3% from three in 3.9 attempts per game.
Damion Lee 🤝 4th quarter threes pic.twitter.com/9o2Ji4riE0
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) December 10, 2022
Lee had a down year shooting the basketball last season for the Warriors but the potential was there. The year prior he shot 39.7% on 3.4 attempts per game. It would be one thing if Toscano-Anderson was coming off of a great shooting year but he wasn’t. He experienced the same decline in 2021-22 that Lee did.
One player has blossomed and found his stroke (Lee) while the other has played his way out of the rotation (Toscano-Anderson). Hindsight is always 20/20 to be fair but the Lakers should have been trying to sign as many of these shooting role players as possible.
This is a Lakers team that desperately lacks three-point shooting and it is not a surprise, either. It is not like the team went out and signed a bunch of shooters that have since regressed. This was a very obvious need in the offseason and it simply wasn’t filled. They blindly trusted the wrong players to turn their shooting metrics around.
Patrick Beverley’s reported team preference shows he was never a Lakers fit
Patrick Beverley has not been great on the court for the Los Angeles Lakers and his reported team destination proves he was never going to be a fit.
Instead, they should have trusted Lee, who is proving the Suns right for trusting him.