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After their reported trade for Russell Westbrook, the Lakers roster is devoid of players and cap flexibility. While the team will have a large line consisting of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Westbrook, only Marc Gasol and Alfonzo McKinnie are under contract otherwise, although the team has already exceeded the salary cap.
While there are a handful of ways the Lakers can add talent to their market value, the team will need to rely on a healthy dose of veteran minimum contracts to fill the roster. Fortunately for the front office, a multitude of players seem ready to chase a title with them next season on these minimum contracts.
Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday a long list of players who will either interest the Lakers or be interested in coming to Los Angeles, with shooters Patty Mills and former Lakers like Wayne Ellington and Trevor Ariza:
The Lakers need shots. One name that happens is Patty Mills. He can turn off the lights and would be great on the bench. Wayne Ellington is another shooter who wants to join the Lakers. Trevor Ariza and Andre Iguodala are veteran wings who are candidates … Jeff Green and Goran Dragić are also names to watch.
Any team with only five players on the roster will have a multitude of needs, and the names listed suggest that. The general theme, however, is shot and wing depth for a team that lacks both.
Wayne Ellington is one of the names Lakers fans know best on the roster, having spent a season in Los Angeles during the Reconstruction Years. Last season, he shot 42.2 percent from the 3-point line in Detroit, the second best score of his career. Ellington is also the most tangible bond in the group, given that Turner has explicitly said he wants to return.
Trevor Ariza is the other familiar name. Entering his 18th year, Ariza played a bigger role with Miami last season, but only shot 35.0% from the field, although he converted 41.1% of his look behind the 3-line. points. Ariza, however, is a former client of Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and won a title with the team in 2009.
Patty Mills has spent her last 10 seasons in San Antonio and is a career 38.8% 3-point shooter. Mills was a 2014 NBA champion Spurs and has made 90 career playoff games, so he has both experience and shooting. He is currently playing for Australia at the Olympics.
Andre Iguodala is the most famous player on the list. The former Finals MVP has shown he has something in the tank despite turning 38 next season. Likewise, Jeff Green revitalized his career at the end of it, shooting 41.2% from the 3-point line at 34 in Brooklyn last season.
Goran Dragić appears to be the group’s biggest long shot. Last season, Dragić came off the bench in Miami, averaging 13.4 points while shooting 37.3% off the 3-point line. In the bubble, Dragić played a big part in helping Miami reach the final against the Lakers before injury prevented much of the series.
It is clear that previous reports of players willing to line up and play for the Lakers if they land a third star appear to be true. While many of the players mentioned are veterans at the end of their careers, each brings something to the table that could be valuable to Los Angeles, depending on how free agency goes. With the team largely only able to come up with minimum bids, maximizing the number of players they sign on to those bids will be one of the biggest challenges for the front office.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on itunes, Spotify, Stapler or Google Podcasts. You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.
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