When the NBA trade deadline dust settles, your Los Angeles Lakers will look markedly different, beyond stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The team has made some huge changes to its roster depth, prioritizing three-point shooting, athletic lead guard play, and interior defense through a flurry of deals.
But LA may not be done dealmaking just yet.
Now, competitive NBA franchises will look to the buyout market to shore up their roster depth ahead of what could be a pretty lively postseason. Lakers team vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka has been very busy adjusting the team's lineup over the past several weeks, and most impressively managed to spin horrific contracts of three washed-up point guards totaling an insane $65.4 million into actually meaningful contributors! I anticipate he may do some supplemental roster tweaking as LA looks set to finally return to the playoffs.
Although traded ex-Laker Russell Westbrook is not on the board for LA (nor should he be) due to CBA rules, he may be the most coveted buyout market free agent out there. His fellow ex-Laker Patrick Beverley, currently with the Orlando Magic, also seems likely to be bought out. No word yet on what the Washington Wizards intend to do with LA's other banished ex-point guard, Kendrick Nunn.
So who should LA add? I've taken a look around the league and will suss out some intriguing veterans that are or could be viable buyout candidates this season, including some familiar faces. Here are my five favorite prospects:
5. Kevin Love - LeBron James may not be getting a Kyrie Irving reunion this season, but could the third piece of their Cleveland Cavaliers' former Big Three be bought out? Sam Amico of Hoops Wire reports that the Cavs are not at present considering a buyout for Love, who's still in Cleveland but no longer in the team's active rotation. I think that could easily change over the next month. The big issue now though is fit, as LA suddenly has a kind of crowded, talented frontcourt rotation, with new additions Mo Bamba and Jarred Vanderbilt set to relieve stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Could love play a bit at small forward?
4. Austin Rivers - The Minnesota Timberwolves reserve combo guard is still just 30, and remains a scrappy, fun backup with a handle and some defense who could contribute in a limited role at either guard spot for LA. Rivers is currently inked to a $2.9 million veteran's minimum deal, and has played fairly limited minutes in Minnesota, averaging 5.5 points on respectable .459/.368/.848 shooting splits. He could still request to be waived if he wants to link up with a better club.
3. Justin Holiday - The 6'6" Mission Hills native (Jrue's older brother) was shipped out from the Atlanta Hawks to the Houston Rockets in a salary dump move for the Hawks. Holiday has been a fringe rotation player for Atlanta this season, and could probably look to get bought out from a tanking Houston team that has no use for a 33-year-old vet. In his prime, he was a solid two-way reserve, and still at least would give the Lakers some additional size on the wing, though I doubt he'd overtake, say, Troy Brown Jr. in LA's bench rotation. In just 28 games for the Hawks, Holiday averaged 4.5 points on 38.4% shooting.
2. Danny Green - A starter on LA's 2019-20 title-winning team, Green could theoretically offer some much-needed defense on the perimeter.
1. Will Barton - Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that the Washington Wizards are in the midst of prepping a buyout of the rest of Barton's deal. A defense-first wing, Barton would address LA's big remaining roster need, like Green would, but unlike Green isn't recovering from multiple simultaneous major knee injuries. As Woj notes, Barton was a big part of last season's very-injured Denver Nuggets squad, starting in 71 contests.
Other intriguing names who are or could be on the buyout market this season and are worth consideration include Reggie Jackson, John Wall, Kevin Knox, Bryn Forbes, Serge Ibaka, and more.
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