It was a quiet NBA trade deadline for the Los Angeles Lakers. With limited assets at their disposal and Russell Westbrook’s contract being so unfavorable, they were essentially stuck. Will they be able to make any acquisitions using the buyout market?
According to Marc Stein, the Lakers haven’t been linked to “anyone” so far in the buyout market. While the market as a whole has been quiet as of late, names like Tristan Thompson and Goran Dragic opted to sign elsewhere.
“On the buyout front, I haven’t heard the Lakers really mentioned with anyone, but that’s also because the buyout market has gone pretty quiet. I mean, we had Tristan Thompson, we had Dragic, the Sixers obviously signed Willie Cauley-Stein on a 10-day, but he was a free agent, that wasn’t really a buyout thing. There just isn’t much action right now in terms of difference-making players who have been set free yet. We still have time though.”
Around the time of the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline, there was speculation about whether the Lakers would even be an attractive option for players that hit the buyout market. Given the team’s underwhelming regular-season record and general bleak outlook to contend, the thought was veterans would look elsewhere.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Names Could Be Intriguing Buyout Options For Lakers
The Lakers currently find themselves ranked 9th in the Western Conference standings with a poor 27-32 record. For a team many considered as being championship contenders before the season began, it’s safe to say, Los Angeles has been the most disappointing of all 30 teams.
There is a need for the Lakers to add more shooting around LeBron James and Russell Westbrook to make the most of that combination. However, the main issue they face is Anthony Davis continuing to struggle to stay healthy.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Names Could Be Intriguing Buyout Options For Lakers
If the Los Angeles Lakers are unable to consistently have LeBron James and Anthony Davis available to play, then really, nothing else is going to matter. A buyout signing could help, but again, getting both superstars healthy and staying available ahead of the playoffs will be of utmost importance.
