3 shooting guards the Lakers can sign after losing Malik Beasley
By Jason Reed
Lakers free agency target: Javonte Green
Javonte Green is different from the other two players on this list. Both Mykhailiuk and Nowell are young and arguably have not even reached their ceilings yet in the NBA. Green, despite not being in the league for very long, is going to turn 30 shortly before the season and does not have the untapped potential the other two have.
However, he is more of a proven commodity that adds something completely different to the team: defense. Despite still being on the market, Green was one of the better defenders available in free agency this summer and at this point, is likely worth a minimum deal.
Green has always been an above-average defender and in limited minutes last season the 29-year-old posted a 2.5 Defensive Box Plus/Minus. That is up there with the best in the sport as he ranked seventh among players with at least 450 minutes played. Second was Alex Caruso.
Green would provide a similar presence as Caruso did during his Lakers tenure. While his defensive ceiling is not as high, he would provide the same high-energy perimeter defense that could get the Lakers through those tough stretches in January when all the games seem to bleed together.
Offense is not his strong suit but he is someone that other teams still have to at least respect. Green has shot 36% from beyond the arc over the last two seasons. He is by no means a marksman
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but isn’t an absolute zero on that side of the floor.
Los Angeles could run some truly fun defensive lineups with Gabe Vincent, Green and Jarred Vanderbilt all on the floor together. Throw Anthony Davis into that lineup and run the offense through him and suddenly the Lakers would have something brewing.