3 Lakers free agent targets who are former All-Stars

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 30: Kevin Love #42 of the Miami Heat reacts to a call in the second half against the New York Knicks during game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2023 in New York City. The Miami Heat defeated the New York Knicks 108-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 30: Kevin Love #42 of the Miami Heat reacts to a call in the second half against the New York Knicks during game one of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2023 in New York City. The Miami Heat defeated the New York Knicks 108-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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Draymond Green Lakers
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) – Draymond Green Lakers

3. Draymond Green

The NBA and the NBAPA agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement earlier this year that instituted a new tier above the luxury tax with harsher penalties. The Lakers could be able to squeak just under that even with VanVleet next season but other teams won’t be so lucky.

The two teams that are impacted the most by this are the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers. Both teams have been huge spenders and have not cared much about the luxury tax implications of spending big.

But now that there are harsher penalties that directly impacts team building in the present as well as the future, the Warriors and Clippers may pull back the reigns a tad. This could spell the end of Draymond Green in Golden State as he has a player option in what will be his last chance ot get paid.

Draymond Green’s relationship with LeBron James could steer him to the Lakers.

Green and LeBron seem to have a great relationship and as we see all the time in the NBA, that sometimes is all you need to make a partnership happen. Green’s price should be similar to that of VanVleet’s, so all the same match that applied there also applies here.

That being said, while LeBron and Anthony Davis could talk themselves into adding Green it may not be the best move to make. He probably is not going to age very well and while he is elite defensively, the floor spacing would be an issue.

Green’s inefficiencies offensively are a lot easier to mask when he is next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. That is just a fact. So while it is possible and potentially probable, it might not be the best use of LA’s resources.