The Los Angeles Lakers are still looking to make their first free-agent signing of the summer. After miserably missing out on their top targets, the Lakers are running out of time to turn the ship around. If GM Rob Pelinka wants to build a championship-caliber roster, he must act urgently and accurately.
Fortunately for the Lakers, there are still some free agents available who can make an impact in Los Angeles. Due to the fact that the Lakers don’t have much cap space, they will have to rely on bargain deals and players on the trade block. Considering that they have a lot of holes to fill across multiple positions, the Lakers can go different ways to fill out the roster. Let’s take a look at the five best targets for them.
Gary Trent Jr.
There is an increased probability that the first free-agent signing of the summer for the Lakers will be Gary Trent Jr. The 25-year-old shooting guard hit unrestricted free agency this summer and the Toronto Raptors are reportedly willing to part ways with him.
Even though the sharpshooter had a down year in the 2023-24 season, his skillset is a good fit in Los Angeles. He is a career 38.6% shooter from downtown on 6.4 attempts per game. He is a versatile shooter who can thrive on catch-and-shoot or movement threes. Considering the lack of off-ball threats on the Lakers, Trent would be a good fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Los Angeles needs to space the floor as much as possible and that starts with adding elite shooters like Trent.
Luke Kennard
If shooting is the most important need for the Lakers, why not go for the best shooter in the free-agent class? Luke Kennard would immediately become the biggest shooting threat LeBron James played with in his Lakers career.
Kennard has made 44% of his threes for his career on 4.6 attempts per game. Last season, he made 45% of his shots from downtown of 6.1 attempts per game. Now imagine him getting open looks from LeBron James.
The 28-year-old shooting guard is a limited player in other areas. He is a defensive liability and has athletic and physical limitations. Therefore, he would likely not be a starter. But as a bench option who could provide an offensive jolt as needed, Kennard is one of the best free agents the Lakers can get.
Precious Achiuwa
Once the Lakers take care of their shooting problem, they need to add more size, strength, and defensive intensity. Last season, despite having Anthony Davis as the anchor, the Lakers were a mediocre defensive team. The team simply didn’t have enough defensive talent, putting too big of a workload on AD.
One player who can help fix the defensive issues is Precious Achiuwa. The 24-year-old who finished last year with the New York Knicks is the type of player who can play next to Anthony Davis or back him up as a small-ball center depending on the matchup. Achiuwa can guard all five positions reasonably well, providing intriguing defensive versatility to Lakers lineups.
Achiuwa is still a work in progress on the offensive end but if the Lakers can get enough shooting, the offensive units can still thrive with him out there.
Jerami Grant
Let’s explore some trade targets. Jerami Grant is still on the trade block and there is already reported interest by the Lakers. The sides haven’t been able to agree on the price tag so far as the Portland Trail Blazers are rumored to be asking for two first-round picks.
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The Lakers should only make this deal if they can get Portland to reduce their price. Los Angeles can only trade two first-round picks and firing their only bullets to acquire Grant may not be the best use of resources.
On paper, Grant is the type of player the Lakers need. He is a very good shooter, having hit 40% from three over the past two seasons while being a solid, multi-positional defender. However, the Lakers have to be very careful about how they use their limited trade assets.
Brandon Ingram
That brings us to the player who should be at the top of the Lakers’ trade targets list. If Pelinka is going to use all of his draft capital on a player, Brandon Ingram is a good candidate to be that player.
The Lakers desperately need another shot-creator who can also play off the ball. Ingram fits that mold. He can generate his own shots, especially in the mid-range, while also being able to hit open threes created by LeBron James and Austin Reaves. At the same time, he is a solid defensive player with good size and length.
Ingram is on an expiring contract, so the Lakers would have to give him an extension after acquiring him. However, the 6’8 small forward is only 26 years old and that contract might age well. It might be the move that increases the Lakers’ ceiling more than any other potential deal.