The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to make any significant improvements to their roster. It looks like the team that lost in the first round to the Denver Nuggets is coming back for another season, much to the chagrin of Lakers fans.
GM Rob Pelinka was active on the trade and free agent market but came up with nothing. Against all odds, players like D’Angelo Russell, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish, Christian Wood, and Jalen Hood-Schifino are still on the roster. It is clear that the Lakers either have to use these players in trade packages to upgrade or move them to clear roster spots that they can use on still-available free agents.
Fortunately for the Lakers, potential upgrades are still sitting on the market. Let’s take a look at the three best options.
Markelle Fultz
The former No. 1 overall pick is an unrestricted free agent and should be acquirable on a prove-it deal. For a veteran’s minimum deal, the Lakers could do much worse than Markelle Fultz.
After flaming out with the Philadelphia 76ers, Fultz was able to revive his career in Orlando. He still struggles with availability and his jump shot has completely abandoned him but his skill set fits in Los Angeles.
The Lakers desperately need more perimeter defense and Fultz provides that. He is an excellent point-of-attack defender who can force turnovers and make defensive plays. He has good positional size at 6’4 and can guard multiple positions with his length and strength. At age 26, he still has some untapped potential if he can stay healthy for a full season.
Evan Fournier
Before he was buried on the bench in New York, Evan Fournier was an impactful role player in the NBA. Head coach Tom Thibodeau used Fournier very sparingly over the last couple of years but the Frenchman has proven that he can still play whenever he sees the court in international play.
Plus, he is still only 31 years old. The fact that he hasn’t played too much could mean that he still has fresh legs.
On paper, Fournier has the perfect skill set to play next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The former Nuggets and Magic swingman has consistently been one of the better shooters in his position. He has multiple seasons where he shot over 40% from three.
In addition to his sharpshooting, Fournier has some playmaking ability. He can put the ball on the floor, get to his mid-range, or keep the ball moving and find his teammates. He is an all-around offensive player who knows how to play and can space the floor for the rest of the Lakers.
The Lakers have found some successes in rehabilitation projects in recent years. Fournier could be another one next to LeBron and Davis by providing much-needed shooting.
Lonnie Walker IV
The Lakers could also turn to a familiar face to provide more offensive juice. After a productive 2022-23 season in Los Angeles, Lonnie Walker IV signed with the Nets last offseason. He wasn’t as effective in Brooklyn as he only averaged 17.4 minutes per game.
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Now, he has hit unrestricted free agency and he is surprisingly still out there. The 25-year-old shooting guard has an intriguing combination of shooting and athleticism. He made over 38% of his threes last season after hitting 36.5% with the Lakers a season prior. He can attack the basket and finish at the rim when the defender closes out on him. This is the type of skill set the Lakers missed last year.
Los Angeles doesn’t have dynamic on-ball players on the wing. Austin Reaves can provide some creation to help LeBron James but it has proven insufficient in the postseason. Someone like Walker to give a jolt to bench units and score in an instant could be valuable for the Lakers.
Like the other options on this list, signing Walker isn’t going to turn the Lakers into an immediate contender. But he will help and it behooves the Lakers to give first-time head coach JJ Redick and the 39-year-old LeBron the best roster possible to give them a chance to compete. That is the least Rob Pelinka can do after his offseason fumbles.