The Los Angeles Lakers did their best to try and woo Darren Collison out of retirement but weren’t able to make it happen. Out of all the players who wouldn’t have required a trade, Collison was the most appealing option for the purple and gold. He would’ve fit in perfectly as the team’s backup point guard.
The Lakers brought him in for a game and did the best they could to try and convince him, but Collison decided he’d rather reevaluate his options in the offseason. It was a bad blow for a Los Angeles team that really could’ve used his help. While it seems like that ship has sailed, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith thinks the Lakers need to go back to him and not take no for an answer.
It’s unknown just how hard the Lakers tried to convince Collison on their first try. It’s not too late for him to come out of retirement and make a playoff run with the team, but it seems like his mind is made up. If he passed on a possibly winning an NBA championship with his hometown team, it’s likely that his heart isn’t in the game this year.
Dion Waiters the Answer?
Unfortunately for the Lakers, Collison was the only really strong point guard who was available in free agency. However, not all is lost for the team. While they’re not going to get more ball-handling help, they already have a really good team and could have more help on the way. A meeting with Dion Waiters looms and Jay Williams believes he would be an asset.
“Look, Dion Waiters has basketball game,” Williams said on Sportscenter. “If you could reel him in psychologically – that’s the biggest test with him – he still gives you a spark off the bench.”
Waiters isn’t an ideal fit and doesn’t have a great relationship with LeBron James, but he is a solid scorer. He could provide some points off the bench, which could only help the team. As Williams pointed out, the biggest concern with Waiters is the off the court issues. The Lakers need to make sure that won’t be a problem if they do decide to sign him.
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Derrick Rose Isn’t Going to Be Available Anytime Soon
One player who would’ve been an ideal pickup for the Lakers was Derrick Rose, who is currently employed by the Detroit Pistons. Unfortunately, the Pistons weren’t interested in trading him at the deadline and aren’t planning on buying him out this season, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“From what I understand, when the Lakers called the Pistons and expressed an interest in trading for Derrick Rose, the Pistons said ‘Hey, we appreciate you calling, but we’re not trading him,” Windhorst said recently, per RealGM.com. “Dwane Casey likes him. We think he’s going to be important for us next year.’ He just wasn’t available.”
Detroit isn’t winning many games and are out of the playoff race so it seems like a waste for Rose to be stuck there. That said, he hasn’t tried to force himself out and seems content to stick it out with the team.
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Lakers Should ‘Beg’ Guard to Come out of Retirement, Says Analyst