The Los Angeles Lakers have had one of the best showings in NBA free agency this offseason. It is impossible to make a list of free agency winners without including the Lakers high up on that list.
There is still more work to be done. Rob Pelinka confirmed that the team is actively looking at the free-agent market for another big, preferably one that has a different skill set than Jaxson Hayes. With two roster spots remaining, it seems like a guarantee that the Lakers will sign some kind of stretch five to bolster the rotation.
There is still a lot of time until training camp and there could be new targets that get bought out or waived by their respective teams. Lakers fans better hope that is the case, as the rumored targets that the Lake Show has leave a lot to be desired.
McMenamin mentions the Lakers want a stretch 5 with the final spot. Mentions Wood, JaMychal Green, and Markieff Morris as possible targets.
— #JEANIEISCLUELESS (@ZachLavineSZN8) July 11, 2023
Lakers rumors: LA could target Christian Wood, JaMychal Green, or Markieff Morris to be the stretch five
Of course, just because these players are listed as potential targets by a notable Lakers insider does not guarantee that they are going to sign with the team. But where there is smoke there is fire and these players are at least being considered, it appears.
While all three players can shoot the basketball, fans should have reservations about each of the potential options listed by McMenamin. Granted, the stakes aren’t very high with the 14th roster spot but the Lake Show still needs to maximize the roster as much as physically possible.
Wood is simply never going to work on the Lakers. He is a classic good stats on a bad team guy who has shown that he does not take demotion well in the NBA. Wood needs a big role to be happy and the Lakers cannot give him that. It would be a locker room distraction more than anything else.
Green and Morris don’t really give the Lakers what they need. Los Angeles would have benefitted from being able to throw size at the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals but they couldn’t really do that with Mo Bamba not earning a spot in the rotation and the other center option being Wenyen Gabriel.
This just creates the same issue as last season. Outside of Davis and Hayes, who is a work in progress, the Lakers would only have smaller options to throw at a team like Denver. LA should be looking to add a new wrinkle to the roster with this signing, not continue an old tradition that hurt the team.
If push comes to shove at least the Lakers have options that can shoot the basketball but the team can definitely do better than these three.