The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to a lot of possible targets this offseason. The additions that were brought into the roster look satisfactory at least until the season starts. However, there were names that could have really set the tone for what the Lakers want to accomplish with Luka Doncic.
According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, if there was a player that could have put a final stamp on a good summer, one of the New York Knicks starters with, of course, the exception of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
“If one of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges or Josh Hart shakes loose, I think any of those three will make a ton of sense for this group in one of those spots,” Buha said.
Bridges, like the other two, helped the Knicks to their first title in over five decades. A two-time Finalist, he already has the championship pedigree that can elevate any roster.
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The idea of having Bridges is not too far-fetched because the Lakers haven’t exactly added championship-caliber quality in their wings. Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle are all decent pieces and could fit well alongside Doncic. However, there were cheaper options than necessarily elite options.
There was a reason the front office fought hard to sign Jonathan Kuminga before he moved elsewhere. Kuminga was speculated to start and a player like Bridges who is a starter on a championship roster will not be benched.
“You could move Grimes to the bench and give him a larger role or you can have that player swap in for Ziaire or Matisse whoever is starting,” Buha added.
Bridges is a tough option though as he signed a four-year extension last year. His new deal runs out in the 2029-30 season and is worth $150 million. The Lakers currently don’t have a trove of assets to make a trade for such commitment.
The only slight positive for any such move would be that the Knicks are currently on a massive wage bill and both Bridges and Hart are in their early 30s with Anunoby turning 30 next summer. Also, Towns will turn 31 next month and the point here is that they are heading into a veteran-heavy phase.
At some point, if they put age-related performance decline into consideration, they may decide to relieve one or two of those significant deals for a cap breather and gain some flexibility. That means realistically, the Lakers can still key in interest — maybe not this summer.
How Bridges Would Have Fit in L.A.
In a world where a trade for Bridges becomes a possibility, the Lakers will be getting one of the most consistent presences in the league. Bridges has had only one season below 70 games in his eight-year career and has played the full 82 games in the last four seasons — even playing 83 in 2022-23 across two stints with the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets.
He is a mainstay and a championship-caliber two-way wing. He is a versatile playmaker and scorer which was very evident from his short stint in Brooklyn as one of the primary options. His Phoenix and New York stints put him behind other primary options which reduced his scoring.
As a 3-and-D player, Bridges can shoot as well as provide elite perimeter defense. He is a former All-Defensive First Team member. He is the kind of addition that makes sense for the Lakers but most additions in that category are almost too complicated to achieve.
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