The 2023-24 NBA season is right around the corner. Training camp is just days away and NBA rosters are starting to take shape. This will lead to the annual dumping of extra players on certain teams’ rosters, which could be a good thing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles, which already has an incredibly deep roster, still has one more roster spot to utilize for the 2023-24 season. The team may want to leave that roster spot open for a potential buyout target in the future but there are ways to add talent with that final roster spot. It can be a non-guaranteed contract or the Lakers could simply release someone or open a roster spot via trade in the future if there is an intriguing buyout option.
The Lakers are not going to go out and sign just anyone with the final roster spot; it has to make sense for the team. Thanks to the San Antonio Spurs, there is a new option on the free-agent market that might be the perfect option for the final roster spot.
The San Antonio Spurs and veteran wing Reggie Bullock have agreed to a contract buyout, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Bullock is set to enter free agency where several championship contenders and playoff teams will pursue him.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 30, 2023
Reggie Bullock makes a lot of sense for the Lakers in free agency
Reggie Bullock’s best trait is something that every contending team is looking to add: three-point shooting. The Lakers specifically are a team that could use more three-point shooting simply to have more options to turn to during the regular season.
Bullock, who the Lakers traded for at the deadline back in 2019, is a career 38.4% three-point shooter who shot 38% from beyond the arc last season. He would instantly become one of the most qualified shooters on the Lakers roster.
If there was one position to add to before the start of the season it is the shooting guard position. As it stands right now, the only true two-guards on the roster are Austin Reaves and Max Christie. On paper that looks great but LA may need more depth.
Reaves should continue his development as he is not the player Lakers fans should be worried about. Christie is the big question mark that could convince the Lakers to sign another shooting guard. While fans are naturally hyping Christie up before his sophomore year, there is no guarantee he will succeed.
This is a 20-year-old second-round pick. It would not be uncommon if he struggled in his sophomore year. Sure, Christie looked good during the summer and the Lakers have a history of developing players and making them impact players. But there are also examples of the other side of the coin.
Talen Horton-Tucker is someone who was getting very similar hype as Christie. He was in a similar situation as well being a former second-round pick who was very young. THT didn’t end up working out in LA, reminding Lakers fans that not every young player who stands out in the preseason or Summer League is going to pan out.
That is not to say that Christie is guaranteed to fail but the Lakers would be smart to bring in another shooting guard who can be an insurance plan if Christie is behind schedule.