Getty Lakers' Rob Pelinka and Darvin Ham
The Los Angeles Lakers have been urged to sign a “versatile, switchable wing” in free agency this summer.
In a June 27 column, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report wrote that the Lakers should sign Charlotte Hornets small forward Cody Martin, who becomes a restricted free agent once the free agency period begins.
“The Lakers have done the ‘load up on past-their-prime veterans’ thing before. It’s time to try something new, and (Gordon) Hayward’s teammate in Charlotte, Cody Martin, would be a good option, and he might not even cost the entire exception,” Bailey wrote. “He checks a lot of the same boxes Hayward would (though maybe on a smaller scale), and there are fewer concerns about his health. He only logged 26.3 minutes per game, but his pace-and-playing-time adjusted numbers illustrate the point above: 10.5 points, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.2 threes per 75 possessions, with a 38.4 three-point percentage.”
The Hornets extended their qualifying offer to Martin on June 28. The qualifying offer allows Charlotte to match any offer sheet Martin signs with another team.
Martin Averaged 7.7 Points, 4.0 Rebounds, 2.5 Assists in 2021-22
Martin, 26, appeared in 71 games for the Hornets in 2021-22. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 48.2% from the field, 38.4% from beyond the arc and 70.1% from the free-throw line.
According to Hornets.com, Martin ranked 26th in steals per game among league leaders and was tied for 16th in the NBA in multi-steal games (28). Bailey believes the Lakers should take a serious look at the North Carolina native.
“Almost every team in the NBA this offseason will be on the hunt for versatile, switchable wings, and the Lakers shouldn’t excuse themselves from that fray,” Bailey wrote. “And while there may be some older, bigger-name free agents willing to go to this historic franchise for a taxpayer mid-level exception that might feel like a discount for them, L.A. should expand its search this offseason.”
Martin has career averages of 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 171 games with the Hornets. His defensive and 3-point shooting skills could help the Lakers, who need better on-ball defenders and shooters.
Lakers Need Defenders & Shooters
The Lakers need players who can play high-level defense and stretch the floor with their perimeter shooting next to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In a June 2 column, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley talked about the two types of players Los Angeles requires.
“Last summer, the Lakers focused on adding offensive oomph around the James-Davis duo. Not only did the attack fail to launch, but this once-elite defense also completely fell apart,” Buckley wrote. “If the Lakers want to reverse their fortunes next season, this is the first place to start. They can’t be in a position where they’re counting on Stanley Johnson and Avery Bradley to make their most critical stops. They have to snag some lockdown defenders, ideally while getting longer and more athletic on the perimeter.
“The simplest formula for winning big with James is surrounding him with shooters and letting him attack. It puts opponents into one can’t-win situation after the next. Crowd James, and he’s a good enough quarterback to find open teammates. Stay at home on the shooters, and he will obliterate his matchup.”
The Lakers have access to the taxpayer’s mid-level exception, which has a starting salary of $6.4 million.