After not making a deal ahead of the 2022 NBA trade deadline, many people assume the Los Angeles Lakers will be aggressive on the buyout market. With so many needs across the roster, they could go in several different directions when pursuing players that are bought out.
It was widely believed that the Lakers would land Tristan Thompson were he to be bought out by the Indiana Pacers. He will be on his way out of Indiana, but it won’t be to play for the Lakers. Instead, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, it will be to play for the Chicago Bulls.
Luckily for Los Angeles, numerous other big men could hit the open market in the coming weeks. However, it will be a tough sell to get them to join the team. The Lakers aren’t serious contenders right now and some of these veterans want to join a team that will put them in a position to win a ring. They will take a championship over some extra playing time that the Lakers can provide.
The frontcourt isn’t the only area they need help. Teams can never have enough 3-point shooters and defenders on the wing. Los Angeles could certainly use some help there as well.
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To make a transaction, Rob Pelinka will have to move on from players currently on the roster. The two names that have popped up most prominently are Kent Bazemore and DeAndre Jordan. Both players are potential candidates to be bought out.
So far, the Lakers haven’t made a signing in the buyout since names like Goran Dragic and Tristan Thompson opted to sign elsewhere. With Mar. 1 approaching, there is expected to be other options that will pop up.
Who could the team look to replace them with? Here are three buyout candidates for the Lakers to sign after missing out on Thompson.
