The NBA trade deadline has come and gone with the Los Angeles Lakers not making a single move. A year after rebuilding the roster and making a run to the Western Conference Finals with said roster, the Lakers decided that it was not in the team's best interest to make any trades.
To be fair, Dejounte Murray was not realistically going to be traded and the Lakers did not have as many trade assets as fans wanted to think. It is understandable as to why the Lakers were inactive, but it does not make it any less frustrating for Lakers fans.
Thankfully, the Lakers can still add via the buyout market and there are already intriguing names that will be available. The most intriguing buyout target became available in the 11th hour and now it is painfully obvious who the Lakers are going to target first.
To avoid a $1.5M upcoming contract bonus for games played, the Toronto Raptors are planning to waive Spencer Dinwiddie, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2024
Major new entry to the NBA’s buyout market who will be coveted by several playoff teams. pic.twitter.com/ec3oVEBmCZ
Spencer Dinwiddie will obviously be the Lakers' main buyout target
Spencer Dinwiddie has to pass through waivers first but once he inevitably does, he will undoubtedly be the Lakers' top target on the buyout market this season. Even with D'Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent on the roster, the Lakers can find minutes for Dinwiddie in the rotation.
Dinwiddie has already been tied to the Lakers in trade talks as there seemed to be a real possibility that the Lakers would swap D'Lo for him. That ultimately didn't happen but now the Lakers have the chance to add Dinwiddie while keeping Russell on the roster.
There will be other contending teams that check in on Dinwiddie, who might have a better chance of winning a title on a team like the Miami Heat or even the New York Knicks. But Dinwiddie is a Los Angeles native and he has always been in the Lakers' orbit despite never actually playing for the team.
Adding Dinwiddie would give the Lakers another scoring guard, which is something the team does not have behind Russell and Austin Reaves. The Lakers really struggle with depth in the backcourt and while Dinwiddie is not a great defender, he is someone who could come off the bench and be a microwave scorer for the team.
He also would provide insurance for Russell. D'Lo is great when he is at his best but he has disappeared too many times in the playoffs in the past. If the Lakers are worried about that happening then they could bring in Dinwiddie to have a contingency plan in place.
It might not be a perfect basketball fit, but Dinwiddie is easily the best player on the buyout market this year. After making no trades, the Lakers should be aiming to sign the best.