Getty Indiana Pacers guard Jeremy Lamb.
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ search to fill their last couple of roster spots continues. Despite already having an incredibly busy offseason, the team continues to get linked to several names. A big focus has been put on adding another point guard but the team could use more depth at almost every position.
The Lakers’ starting shooting guard spot could be an open competition in training camp. Wayne Ellington, Malik Monk and Talen Horton-Tucker should all be battling for the spot but the team could add even more competition. According to J. Michael of The Indy Star, the Lakers are among the teams interested in a trade for Indianapolis Pacers guard Jeremy Lamb.
The former first-round pick is coming off his best 3-point shooting season as he made 40.6% off his shots. However, it was the only season that saw him make over 37% of his threes. It’s possible that last season was an anomaly. Regardless, he would bring some more scoring to the team. He averaged 10.1 points a game coming off the bench for Indiana last season.
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Should Lakers Trade for Lamb?
At this juncture, trading for a shooting guard seems like it would be an odd move for Los Angeles. Adding another center, forward or point guard seems like the smarter move. If the Lakers do add a shooting guard, targeting one who plays good defense wouldn’t be a bad idea. Ellington, Monk and Horton-Tucker are all better on offense than they are on defense.
Lamb has developed into a solid defender but is not great on that side of the court. Trading for the veteran guard would be unnecessary. The Lakers would be wiser to target other positions or leave the roster spots for veteran leadership or young talent. Lamb is a solid player but it’s hard to see how he would fit into the Lakers’ rotation.
What Will Lakers Do With Final Roster Spots?
The next NBA season isn’t starting until October so the Lakers aren’t in any rush to finalize the roster. The team already has all the players they really want. Anybody they add now will just be gravy. That said, it’s still possible for them to find impact players.
One position to keep an eye on is center. Marc Stein recently reported that Marc Gasol may not actually return to the Lakers this season. If he retires, that would leave Dwight Howard as the only true center on the roster. There’s been talk of Anthony Davis playing more center this season but it remains to be seen if he’ll actually be willing to do that. The Lakers should be in the market for another center just in case things don’t work out with Gasol.
It also wouldn’t hurt Los Angeles to add another point guard. Right now, Russell Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn are only two on the roster. Adding a third should be a priority before the season starts.
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