Getty J.R. Smith with LeBron James.
With the news that Darren Collison won’t be coming out of retirement this season, the Los Angeles Lakers are left to figure out what pieces they need to add if they’re going to beat the Clippers come playoff time. The Lakers stayed quiet at the trade deadline while the Clippers made a couple of moves to bolster their roster. Many believe that they are the favorites in the West thanks to the Marcus Morris addition.
While the Lakers haven’t made any moves yet, there are still some intriguing options for them on the open market. ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin said on The Jorge Sedano show that J.R. Smith is a name to keep an eye on. Brandon “Scoop B.” Robinson reported that he has a workout setup with the Lakers that’s supposed to take place in the near future.
Obviously, Smith has a previous relationship with Lakers star LeBron James and the two won a championship together. He was also the author of one of the most boneheaded plays in NBA Finals history. Despite that fact, Smith is a solid shooter and would help fit a need for the Lakers.
Lakers to Go After Dion Waiters?
If Los Angeles doesn’t like Smith, there’s also Dion Waiters, who was recently waived by the Memphis Grizzlies. Waiters has had his fair share of personal issues, but there’s no doubt he’s an effective scorer. He’d be a nice addition to the team’s second unit. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers are going to have “exploratory conversations” with Waiters in the future.
He wouldn’t necessarily fill there need for a ball-handler, but he’s a good shooter who can help with scoring when LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren’t on the floor.
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Insider Names Reggie Jackson, Jeff Green Among Other Options
Smith and Waiters appear to be the biggest names to watch for the Lakers, but McMenamin also touted Michael Kidd Gilchrist, Trey Burke, Reggie Jackson and Jeff Green as players to keep an eye on. Gilchrist makes the least sense out of the players mentioned as he’s ineffective as a shooter and doesn’t really fit a need.
Jackson would be an interesting fit as he can play point guard and is a solid shooter. He still awaits news on a potential buyout, but he’s definitely somebody the Lakers should take a hard look at. Burke kind of falls in line with Jackson as he’s a point guard who can shoot. Jackson has more upside, but Burke could help fill a need.
Green has loads of experience and while he’s a better shooter than Gilchrist, he still plays a position that the Lakers don’t necessarily need help at. Los Angeles needs ball handlers and shooters if they’re going to beat the Clippers. They’ve already got plenty of good size and one of the best big men in the NBA in Anthony Davis. Waiters should probably be their top target, but Smith or Jackson would offer the team some strong help.
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