Lakers have ideal BAE free agent target after Timberwolves shocking move

The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to build a roster that can get over the hump and compete for the 18th championship in franchise history. Rob Pelinka and the front office did a great job of rebuilding the roster during the season and now it just needs some additional touches.

Lakers fans shouldn’t expect a radically different roster, even with the guaranteed departures of Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley (at their old price points, at least). Los Angeles just needs some tweaks, whether that be one big new addition or supplemental pieces.

Luckily, the Lakers have a lot more flexibility than they did a year ago. Not only is there more money to spend but there are more exceptions to use. As long as the team stays under the first tax apron (they have plenty of room), Pelinka can use the Bi-Annual exception to sign a two-year deal worth $8.4 million. Teams can use these even if they go over the regular salary cap.

LA isn’t going to land a superstar with the Bi-Annual Exception but the team could certainly land an impact player. Another potential impact player just became available and might end up being the perfect Bi-Annual target.

Lakers free agency: Taurean Prince is an ideal Bi-Annual Exception target

In a move that was considered shocking, the Minnesota Timberwolves declined Taurean Prince’s player option for the 2023-24 season. Prince’s option was worth $7.4 million, which was probably a tad over his market value but still wasn’t breaking the bank.

In a vacuum, Prince is probably worth a three-year, $15-18 million deal. But with a lot of role players on the free-agent market and not a lot of teams with cap space, Prince’s value goes down and puts him right in the Bi-Annual Exception range of $4.2 million annually.

And that is where the Lakers should try and get him. If another team is offering him more (perhaps with the taxpayer MLE) then so be it. But if Prince can be signed for the Bi-Annual Exception it would be a home run.

The 28-year-old wing is exactly the kind of rotation wing that the Lake Show should be looking for. Prince is interchangeable at the three and the four and adds a dynamic that was sorely missing out of the Lakers’ bench (outside of Rui Hachimura) in the NBA Playoffs: three-point shooting.

Prince has shot a combined 38.4% from three over the last three seasons in 3.5 attempts per game. In addition to a smooth shooting stroke, Prince also provides serviceable defense with his athleticism and size. He is not going to get All-Defensive team honors but with a near-seven-foot wingspan, Prince could be an off-ball menace that picks passing lanes and starts the fast break.

The fit makes sense and at that price point it is hard to ask for much more than what Prince would offer.