Portland Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony. Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Three veterans reportedly willing to take less money to sign with Lakers

Originally posted on Game 7 | By Jennifer Withers Hoey | Last updated 7/31/21

The Los Angeles Lakers made a huge splash this past week when the team acquired Russell Westbrook. And while the prospect of L.A. getting a third superstar is appealing for obvious reasons, it also comes with a bit of concern.

Westbrook, though an incredible talent, does not fill the Lakers’ biggest need: shooting. In fact, he’ll clog the team’s spacing up even more.

There is still a path for Rob Pelinka to acquire Buddy Hield from the Sacramento Kings, but it remains to be seen how feasible it truly is. If Hield proves unattainable, the Lakers still find themselves in a decent position. Why? Because a number of star veterans have expressed interest in taking a pay cut to come to LA.

This past week Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report did a Q&A during which he divulged that Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony are two big names to watch.

Fischer reiterated that point, and added another interesting name into the mix, during his most recent article.

“With Westbrook now headed to Los Angeles, multiple league personnel contacted by B/R expect there to be significant interest from several veterans, including DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony, to forgo higher salary opportunities elsewhere and join the Lakers in pursuit of a championship,” he wrote.

Anthony is coming off a season where he shot a career-best 40.9% from beyond the arc. He is reportedly moving closer to inking a deal with LA.

Although DeRozan he has never been a standout three-point shooter, he is an extremely efficient long-two guy. They’re a dying breed in the NBA, but DeRozan is excellent at it. His 49.5% shooting from the field speaks for itself.

Gay is another intriguing option. He averaged 11.4 points per game for the San Antonio Spurs last season while shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc.

Any one of these guys would be a great pick-up for the Lakers.

This article first appeared on Game 7 and was syndicated with permission.

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