The Los Angeles Lakers have enjoyed a busy summer. JJ Redick’s team has been boosted with the additions of Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart.
Interestingly, Rob Pelinka may not be done adding new talent to the rotation. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Lakers are keeping tabs on Malcolm Brogdon. The former Sixth Man of the Year is an unrestricted free agent this summer, following the expiration of his deal with the Washington Wizards.
“Brogdon, a player Los Angeles expressed trade interest in before the 2025 NBA trade deadline, remains on their radar should the team free up extra funds in a small consolidation trade,” Siegel reported. “The Lakers had also previously expressed interest in defensive-minded swingman Gary Payton II before Smart reached his buyout in Washington.”
Brogdon has struggled with injuries throughout his career. However, when tasked with a clearly-defined role, he’s still proven to be a valuable veteran off the bench. He played in 24 games for the Wizards last season, averaging 12.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists.
Nevertheless, the Lakers may be tempted to look elsewhere, as they would need to create the cap space required to bring Brogdon into the rotation. Furthermore, given his injury history, that may be too many steps for a player who could struggle to stay on the floor.
Lakers Need More Perimeter Shooting
According to Shaquille O’Neal, who was speaking with RG as part of an exclusive interview, he is concerned about the lack of perimeter shooting on the current roster.
“They have a legitimate big now, got two premier players,” O’Neal said about the Lakers. “I’m still worried about the shooting. It’s a three-point league now. Not guys that can shoot, (I’m talking about) bonafide shooters. Guys that are guaranteed, like JJ Reddick. He was a bona fide shooter. They got the point guard, got the off-guard, got a legitimate center. Their chances are much better now.”
The Lakers finished last season as the 14th-ranked perimeter shooting team in the NBA by percentage. Redick, a sharpshooter during his playing days, will undoubtedly want to see that improve moving forward.
However, given the Lakers’ current construction, the fanbase may need to remain patient before seeing the Purple and Gold become a top-10 level 3-point shooting threat as a unit.
Lakers Could Target Former NBA Champion
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley suggested Gary Payton II as a potential candidate to help round out the Lakers roster. Payton is a reliable and versatile defender, and an athletic finisher with championship-level experience.
“He does everything required of a perimeter defender, plus he knows how to leverage the open spaces created by playing alongside a gravitational star,” Buckley wrote. “It doesn’t take much imagination to see him sniffing out cutting lanes or launching open corner threes alongside James, Doncic and Austin Reaves the way he would with Stephen Curry in Golden State.”
Regardless of how Pelinka moves forward, the Lakers are in a good spot. The roster has been improved heading into the new season. More importantly, Luka Doncic has played a role in two of the major acquisitions. There’s a lot to be excited about in Lakerland this summer. Adding Brogdon would simply be the icing on the cake.
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