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The Los Angeles Lakers have nearly completed an overhaul of their roster heading into the 2021-22 season. The Lakers may still have a few moves up their sleeves in the coming weeks. ESPN’s Zach Lowe believes Nuggets big man Paul Milsap should be the Lakers’ next move if they can convince the four-time All-Star to sign for the veteran minimum.
“They’ll get some guys to come on the minimum,” Lowe explained on The Lowe Post podcast. “I think Paul Milsap would be a really good fit here if they could somehow coax him on the minimum. If they end up having to play a traditional center a lot because their defense just isn’t good enough, that’s the part where they hit a tipping point where I begin to get worried. Because I think Russ, LeBron, A.D., [a] center, traditional non-shooting center, is just going to be a slog in the half-court.”
After making four straight All-Star games with the Hawks from 2013 to 2017, Milsap has become more of a role player to close out his career. Milsap posted nine points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 20.8 minutes per game last season with the Nuggets.
The big man is far from an elite shooter, but his career 34.3% three-point percentage is enough for defenses to take his shot seriously. Milsap has spent the last four seasons with the Nuggets where he has been a starter for the majority of his tenure.
Milsap Is Eying a Deal for the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception: Report
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, Milsap is shooting for the taxpayer mid-level exception which is quite a bit more than the Lakers’ potential minimum offer. The longer veterans like Milsap remain on the market, the better the Lakers’ chances become for landing a few more bargains.
“League sources also told B/R that forward Paul Millsap would be amenable to joining Golden State or returning to Atlanta at the taxpayer mid-level ($5.9 million),” Fischer detailed on August 2nd.
Los Angeles still has three roster spots remaining, and the Lakers could take their time filling these positions. The Lakers have a chance to add veterans who strike out in free agency offering a chance to contend for a title.
Lakers Could be Competing With the Heat to Add Veteran Free Agents
The majority of the Lakers’ offseason moves have focused on adding perimeter players with the exception of bringing back Dwight Howard. We can expect the Lakers to add another big man with one of their next moves, and Milsap makes a lot of sense if he is unable to find a more lucrative deal elsewhere. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks believe the Lakers along with the Heat remain in a prime position to add even more quality veterans.
“The Lakers and Heat both offer the same allure in joining them: championship-adjacent rosters in premium locations with playing time to offer,” ESPN detailed. “Miami has the added benefit of being able to offer no state income tax as well. That said, both also have the same amount to offer to prospective players in terms of salary: the veterans minimum.
“…But this is why these are veterans minimum deals to begin with: If the players involved could get more money than that, they would. Still, both teams have successfully utilized them so far and may be able to pull a few more rabbits out of their hat in free agency.”
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