Getty Bryn Forbes showing Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo his championship ring.
There’s been a lot of chatter regarding what the Los Angeles Lakers could do on the trade market this offseason but most of the moves they make will come via free agency. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Talen Horton-Tucker are the only players who are under contract for next season without any options outside of a trade. Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn both have player options they will likely pick up while Austin Reaves, Stanley Johnson, Wenyen Gabriel and Mason Jones all have team options.
The Lakers are going to have to make a lot of moves this offseason to fill out the roster. With Westbrook almost certainly picking up his option, the team will have limited cap space to sign players. Los Angeles will have to go bargain hunting but that doesn’t mean they can’t find good players. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes that Denver Nuggets guard Bryn Forbes is the one player the Lakers need to target in free agency:
Some might want the Los Angeles Lakers to aim higher, but they shot for the moon with the Russell Westbrook trade last offseason, and we all saw how that turned out.
This is a back-to-basics suggestion, a return to what we know works well for a team that employs LeBron James. Shooting is paramount for L.A., and Bryn Forbes is arguably the best gunner on the market.
The 28-year-old won’t contribute defensively, but he’s a 41.3 percent shooter from long distance for his career, and he’s more than a standstill threat. Forbes’ 2.5 points per game off screens with the Denver Nuggets ranked sixth in the league this season.
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Forbes Could Finally Solve Lakers’ Shooting Issues
Shooting has been an ongoing issue for the Lakers. Even when the team won a championship in 2020, they finished 21st in the NBA in 3-point percentage. This season, the additions of Wayne Ellington, Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony were supposed to help solve that issue. That wasn’t the case as the Lakers finished 22nd in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage.
As long as Westbrook and Davis continue to be among the worst 3-point shooters in the league, the team is going to struggle from beyond the arc. That said, Forbes would be a major boost. He’s made 41.3% of his threes throughout his career and is one of the best shooters in the league. He’s not a great defender or big-time scorer but his shooting would certainly help with spacing.
Which Free Agents Should Lakers Bring Back?
The Lakers are going to have a lot of free agents this offseason and most of them should move on. The team was bad this season and there needs to be sweeping changes. However, there are a few players worthy of another contract. The most obvious player is Malik Monk. He was a pleasant surprise for the Lakers this season and averaged 13.8 points a game. There’s no way the team is getting him signed on a minimum contract again but they need to do what they can to keep him.
Other than Monk, there aren’t many free agents the Lakers need to keep. Carmelo Anthony should be brought back as a bench piece but the team mostly needs an overhaul.
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