Three More Free Agent Targets for the Lakers
The latest for the Lakers with options growing slim
With free agency set to commence this Friday at 6pm EST, the Lakers have several options to build a “championship-winning product.”
Yesterday, LA extended Qualifying Offers to Austin Reaves and Rui Hatchimura, making their two offseason priorities restricted free agents. However, they could also use some help from the outside to capitalize on their recent success.
After initially crafting a list of three free agents the Lakers must consider, I went back to the drawing board and added a few more names — ones that particularly fit the Lakers’ needs of shooting and size.
Yuta Watanabe
After striking out on backup center Naz Reid and a Brook Lopez reunion becoming a pipe dream, Watanabe could be LA’s ideal target — possibly a better option than Seth Curry.
At 6-foot-9 and 28 years old, Watanabe averaged 5.6 points per game while shooting 49% from the field and a career-high 44% from three-point range. He is primarily an offensive-minded player and does most of his damage from the perimeter.
Watanabe scored nearly 56% of his 322 points this season off of threes. He has excelled particularly as a shooter off the catch, converting all of his assisted three-point field goals. He’s the sharpshooter that the Lakers need and one that would fit perfectly next to AD and LeBron, in addition to playmakers D’Angelo Russell and Dennis Schröder (assuming both of them are re-signed). Watanabe has earned a solid payday and could receive a good cut of a team’s Mid-Level Exception. The Lakers, in dire need of a three-point specialist, should keep a close eye on the perimeter threat.
T.J. Warren
Warren appears to be a risky bet for almost any team now — given recent injuries — but with the Lakers in need of tougher players, he could fit the mold.
The 29-year-old is not lighting opponents up like he was during the NBA Bubble, but he stilled produced well in the regular season for the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns. Warren averaged 7.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1 assist per game on 49–33–80 splits. As solid as he was in the regular season, he disappeared come playoff team, a concern for many contenders looking for a reliable seventh or eighth option.
Warren still had bright moments throughout the year regardless of the team. He dropped a season-high 23 points when the Nets beat the Cavaliers in December, and he had 16 points on 7–12 shooting when the Suns beat the 76ers in March — both off the bench.
Shooting is one of Warren’s strong suits, as he led the Suns in midrange scoring with a mark of nearly 33%. He was also reliable for finishing plays, as 67% of his two-pointers were assisted. Aside from shot creation, however, he offers other positive attributes, according to Cole Tuorto of SBNation’s Bright Side of the Sun:
“Warren is an underrated defender and passer as well, with active hands that can trigger fastbreaks and the IQ necessary to facilitate portions of the offense. This was extremely evident with Indiana before suffering a foot injury that cost him the entire 2021–22 season.”
As far as his fit with the Lakers, he would back up Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt as another offensive option, helping with his shot creation and length on both sides of the ball. The Lakers landing Warren could be a low-risk, medium-reward opportunity, as they shore up their depth in the front court while adding more versatility on the offensive end.
Svi Mykhailiuk
Finally, the Lakers should consider a reunion with former wing Svi Mykhailiuk. In 19 games for the Hornets, Mykhailiuk averaged 10 points per game on 44% shooting from the field and 40% from three. His numbers as a starter were even better: in eight games with Charlotte’s leading unit, he put up 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game as a 44–38–79 splits. Though he’d continue in his bench role with the Lakers, it’s worth having an effective option to turn to if injuries arise.
The Lakers Legacy Podcast championed the idea of Svi returning to the purple and gold:
And why not? While things have certainly changed since Mykhailiuk was a rookie, Svi has changed as well, embracing the opportunities no matter the destination. Taking a flyer (again) on a sharpshooter who can make plays is worth a look for Pelinka and the Lakers. Though he may not be the best defender (15 steals and 4 blocks collected this season), he still provides enough value on the offensive side to be a positive for the team off the bench.
There will be many other names the Lakers are linked to in the coming days, even if their main goal is to run things back. Adding a few new players who fit into head coach Darvin Ham’s system can only be a benefit for the title-contending Lakers.
