Getty Eric Gordon, left, is a Lakers trade target
The Lakers have made a concerted effort to add youth and athleticism here in the early going of NBA free agency, bringing young guys who still have high ceilings of potential, like Juan Toscano-Anderson and Lonnie Walker IV, along with former L.A. center Damian Jones and ex-Bulls wing Troy Brown Jr.
But they still need a boost in overall talent, especially when it comes to shooting. The Lakers made 34.7% of their 3-pointers last year, which was just 22nd in the league and far too few for a team with dominant offensive forces like LeBron James and Anthony Davis. While the crew of new players represents a shift toward youth, it does not represent a shift toward better shooting—those four new Lakers shot 34.1% from the 3-point line in their collective careers.
That’s why, according to ESPN team insider Dave McMenamin, the Lakers still have some “Plan B” options to consider going forward, especially if L.A. can’t bring in Kyrie Irving from the Nets. And both Plan Bs are big-time shooters.
Hield, Gordon Part of Lakers’ Backup Plan
Speaking on NBA Today (via LakersNation.com), McMenamin said that the Lakers could go after one-time target Buddy Hield, now with the Pacers, as well as Rockets veteran Eric Gordon. Here’s how he put it:
If Kyrie doesn’t work out, they have plans in place, or plans they hope they’ll be able to execute, to achieve shooting on that roster in other directions. Whether that be a veteran like Buddy Hield, who they almost got on last year on draft day and you see Indiana just traded away Malcolm Brogdon and there could be more moves to come, or perhaps a guy like Eric Gordon in Houston. Those guys aren’t Kyrie Irving, of course, but they are players they feel they may be able to acquire to help their team.
L.A., of course, almost acquired Hield last offseason from Sacramento in a potential trade based around Kyle Kuzma. But the Lakers pivoted late in the process, and brought in Russell Westbrook instead, a mistake that hurt the team all last season.
Hield in Midst of $87 Million Contract
Hield is the better option, a 29-year-old wing who can be a bit of a wildcard off the floor—he ticked off many of the folks in Sacramento in his tenure there—and boasts a 39.8% career 3-point percentage. He made only 36.6% from the 3-point stripe last year, though, and does not fit well with Indiana’s long-term building plan.
Hield is entering the third year of an incentive-laden four-year contract extension worth $87 million that works on a descending value scale, so that this year will see him make $20.5 million and next year has him at $18.5 million. He would be tough to get from the Pacers without the addition of a third team—the only way to make salaries match would be for the Lakers to send out Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn, plus bench players Wenyen Gabriel, Austin Reaves and Stanley Johnson.
The Pacers might insist on getting back a first-round pick for Hield.
Bringing in Gordon would be easier for the Lakers, because he makes slightly less ($19.5 million) and would be easier for salary-matching purposes. The Lakers could give up Horton-Tucker and Nunn, along with one other player (Gabriel, Johnson or Reaves) to get a deal done.
The Lakers might not have to give up a pick, either, for Gordon, who is 33 and struggles to stay healthy, having missed 70 games in the past two seasons. Gordon did shoot 41.2% from the 3-point line when he was on the floor last season.