Victor Oladipo was acquired by the Miami Heat just ahead of the NBA trade deadline this year, but his season ended quickly after that. He suffered another quad injury and will be forced to miss the rest of the year. Unfortunately, there is also a chance that he could miss a chunk of next season or perhaps even the entire year.
Being more positive, Oladipo is certainly hoping to play in the 2021-22 NBA season. He is hoping to attack his recovery process and get back on the court. At times this season, he looked like the former All-Star version of himself from before his original quad injury during his time with the Indiana Pacers.
However, due to the new injury, there are a lot of questions about what teams could even consider signing him. He is not currently expected to be re-signed by the Heat. There are some teams who could consider taking a risk on signing him to a one-year deal this offseason.
One former NBA league executive spoke to NBA Analysis Network about Oladipo’s future. He mentioned one very intriguing potential landing spot for Oladipo in free agency.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a ton of action for Victor (Oladipo) in free agency. His injury is going to scare most teams away, but there is one team that I would keep an eye on. The Lakers have long had interest in Oladipo and if the price is right I think they would absolutely have interest in bringing him in.”
Oladipo heading to the Lakers would make a ton of sense. He would not be forced to rush back from his injury and would not have to shoulder a heavy load even when he did make his return. Instead, he would be able to ease his way back into action as a role player with LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way.
Not only would his role be much more reasonable for the former All-Star shooting guard, he would be able to compete for a championship. That is the biggest goal that Oladipo currently has for his NBA career.
Granted, the Lakers may not choose to give Oladipo a shot. The injury may scare them away as well. But, it is an intriguing possibility and would make a lot of sense for both parties to consider.
Expect to hear a lot of news and rumors about Victor Oladipo this offseason. He is a star when he’s healthy, but he has been unable to stay on the court over the past couple of years. The Lakers might very well be his best bet.
