The Los Angeles Lakers went on a spending spree to upgrade their roster, but it left a massive hole for a point-of-attack defender. Marcus Smart bolted for the rival Houston Rockets, and the Lakers plan to replace him is finding an option on the minimum, according to The Athletic’s Dan Woike. LA exhausted their cap space by bringing in Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton. Minimums are all they have left to offer unless they pull off a trade.
The Lakers got Smart for $5.1 million last summer, but he was earning $14.7 million from the Wizards after a buyout. The veteran signed for $6.5 million per year with the Rockets. Smart was trying to rebuild his value and took more than the minimum. It is wishful thinking to expect it to be an experienced veteran.
Woike notes their past success, but it has been mostly misses in the Rob Pelinka era. The Lakers uncovered Jordan Goodwin, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Alex Caruso. They helped Malik Monk rebuild his value after a rough stint in Charlotte. The Lakers should look for a reclamation project, but there have been several misses here too.
Lakers are searching for a perimeter defender on the minimum
The Lakers completely shook up their depth chart. They clearly targeted a defensive anchor at the five and shooting around Luka Doncic. Rob Pelinka forgot the second-most important piece. They need an on-ball defender capable of taking on the elite scorers in the West. Right now, Grimes or Austin Reaves is handling that duty, and the results would be disastrous either way.
The Lakers vastly overpaid for Kessler because Luka wanted a center. It limited their flexibility. LA had to make a tough call on what need to push to the back burner and chose point-of-attack defender.
The Lakers signed Caruso and Goodwin to two-way contracts before converting them to standard deals. They should be scouring the G League and Europe for a free agent capable of offering strong perimeter defense and making a few shots. Getting a player like Goodwin off the scrap heap would make the Lakers a lot more dangerous.
Woike told fans the plan. They want to make a play on the minimum. The Lakers are also searching for Jaxson Hayes’ replacement to fill their final two roster spots. They need another big man and a stout perimeter defender to make this offseason a success.
Rob Pelinka got Luka the center he’s been asking for. It cost a massive price, but that is fine. The Lakers need to build a title contender around number 77 piece by piece. They have his co-star in Austin Reaves and the starting big man. LA just needs to keep adding and trusting Luka to maximize the talent around him.
The Los Angeles Lakers are searching for a point of attack defender for the minimum. They may see who stands out in summer league and turn over every stone to try to find this piece. It is a massive hole that must be filled. The Lakers are hoping Luka Doncic and Los Angeles are enough to convince someone to take a discount. Only time will tell, so stay tuned.
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