Why The Los Angeles Lakers Should Target PJ Tucker
The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the teams that were going to pursue PJ Tucker should he have reached a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets. The Milwaukee Bucks swooped in before the NBA Trade Deadline, securing him for the remainder of the season. They are now in the NBA Finals, so it was a move that had a positive impact.
If he is looking to cash in during free agency and land the most lucrative deal, the Lakers will struggle to land him. For Los Angeles, providing Tucker a chance to compete for another title would be their biggest selling point.
Stylistically, Tucker would be an excellent fit for the Lakers. Los Angeles is already one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, so adding another strong defender would only cement that fact.
Tucker’s presence in the frontcourt would help take some pressure off of LeBron James as well. James would no longer be tasked with defending the opposing team’s best wing player, as that task would fall on Tucker’s plate. His toughness would also be a good pairing for Anthony Davis, who has been hesitant to play center for long periods in his career.
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Offensively, Tucker is a fit because he doesn’t need the ball in his hands. He would help immensely with the Lakers’ 3-point shooting issues, as he is a 35.9 percent shooter in his regular-season career and a 39.9 percent shooter in the postseason.
Adding more shooting this offseason should be the No. 1 item on the Lakers’ to-do list. If that shooting comes with more defense in a player such as PJ Tucker, even better.
