The Los Angeles Lakers have pulled off a blockbuster trade for a superstar once again, acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards and creating a big three in Los Angeles. While it is clear that the Los Angeles Lakers are high on star power right now, they are low on depth. Depth plays a big part in winning a championship, and it is clear that the Lakers will have to find some way to fill out their roster.
With their big three in place, there will likely be many ring-chasing veterans who would be willing to join up with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. Even prior to the Russell Westbrook trade happening, there were rumors that a lot of veterans could join forces with LeBron James on minimum deals in Los Angeles if a trade for Buddy Hield or Kyle Lowry was finalized. Russell Westbrook is generally viewed as a better player than Hield and Lowry, and surely his presence will entice players to join the squad.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report recently did an AMA on Reddit about all things related to the NBA Draft and free agency. On this AMA, he reported that Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony were the two "loudest names" linked to the Los Angeles Lakers.
There is no question that both players would help the Los Angeles Lakers gain some much-needed depth. Carmelo Anthony could be a great 6th man off the bench with his scoring ability, and Rudy Gay would be a great two-way forward who can shoot and take on the tough defensive assignments every night.
It remains to be seen whether either of these players end up with the Los Angeles Lakers, but it definitely feels as though they would be great additions if they were willing to join. The Los Angeles Lakers could land some good role players in free agency, and it seems as if Gay and Anthony could both be options for the team.
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