The Los Angeles Lakers missed on various free agents this offseason. They couldn’t bring in Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan, and other useful assets. It came to a point where LeBron James was ready to take a pay cut so the franchise could add assets before offering James his contract. However, the front office missed on each opportunity, as they now sit with multiple future draft picks. The only player that teams would be interested in trading assets for is Austin Reaves, which the Lakers wouldn’t think of accepting.

But on the other hand, it would have been a sight to see Reaves and Thompson share the ball. And for the record, Klay to LA was quite close. Austin Reaves recently opened up on how he would have loved to play with Thompson. “It would have been dope, I love Klay. I like his mentality towards the game and you know, a lot of things about him… He’s definitely a professional at the highest level.”, said Reaves. Klay would’ve been a great addition to the Lakers, playing alongside LeBron and company.

Not only that but he also would have followed in his father’s footsteps, who was also a Laker. While the Sea Captain decided to join the Mavs, it was a great decision on his part. However, with the Lakers’ recent interest in Wendell Carter Jr., Reaves might be uplifted upon hearing the news. The 25-year-old center has played most of his career in Orlando and has performed quite decently. Considering the big men in LA, Carter Jr. will be a perfect asset for the Lakers.

Most of the Lakers’ centers missed the previous season due to injuries. On the other hand, Carter Jr. can become a useful role player, averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds, while shooting over 52% from the field. In the past, Christian Wood has shown to be more productive, but he has yet to make his return. Overall, it isn’t a game-changing move from the Lakers, but having a backup center does the job when AD is off the floor. Still, the front office should hunt for a shooting guard to complement Reaves and D-Lo.

The Lakers should prioritize a shooter alongside Austin Reaves

During the postseason, the Lakers were quite inconsistent from deep. Their only reliable shooters were Reaves and Russell. At the end of the day, the two could only attempt a certain amount of shots. James is a decent three-point shooter but that isn’t his area of expertise. When Thompson entered free agency, there were hopes that the Lakers would finally add the missing piece to their puzzle. While they don’t have a chance to sign any free agents, they can definitely use their multiple future draft picks along with a few assets to bring in a decent shooting guard.

The Lakers are right under the second apron, with a mere margin of $45 thousand. Shooters like Luke Kennard are available in the market, but the Lakers can’t sign any due to the second apron limit. A sign and trade could be possible, however, Austin Reaves would become the teams’ target. Of course, the Lakers wouldn’t be willing to include Reaves in the transaction, but they could look to sacrifice their future picks. But then again, Pelinka plans on protecting these picks.

Looking at how teams are hunting for valuable assets, the Lakers don’t have much time. Signing Carter Jr. wouldn’t be a blockbuster deal, as the front office would still have to look out for anyone who could shoot and score. Reaves shot over 48% from deep last season. Whereas D-Lo shot just over 41%. Yes, they are quite consistent but both fumbled during the postseason. It will be interesting to see who the Lakers offer for Carter Jr. if they pursue this trade. What are your thoughts on the Lakers? Do you think they should add a shooting guard instead? Let us know in the comments.

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