Getty Images Victor Oladipo and Dwyane Wade.
The Los Angeles Lakers are being touted as a potential landing spot for All-Star guard Victor Oladipo, who is coming off an injury but could be a key veteran piece if he can stay on the court.
Oladipo is an unrestricted free agent but is coming off a quadriceps injury that cut his most recent season short. He also tore the same quadriceps tendon in 2019.
However, when healthy, Oladipo can be a significant asset, especially if he comes without a massive price tag. He earned All-NBA and All-Defense honors and won Most Improved Player during the 2017-18 season, posting a career-high 23.1 points while leading the league in steals with 2.4 per game.
It was reported by Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report during an appearance on Twitter Spaces that Oladipo could be an option for the Lakers on a minimum contract.
Victor Oladipo could possibly be a 1 year, minimum deal option for the Lakers as the market could be drying up for him. 🤔
(h/t @JakeLFischer on Spaces)
Teams Growing ‘Increasingly Wary’ of Victory Oladipo
The opportunity could arise because of a drying-up market for Oladipo due to his injury history. Teams are “increasingly wary” of Oladipo‘s long-term health and multiple executives believe the two-time All-Star may go unsigned for a few months while he gets healthy following his latest quad tendon surgery, says Chris Mannix, per Hoops Rumors.
If the Lakers can strike quick and get Oladipo on a minimum-type deal, it’d be worth the risk with the team needing production on a budget. For Oladipo, he could use the year as the ultimate “prove it” situation. If he proves himself to be healthy and a capable contributor on a contender, he can cash in next year.
Oladipo’s value was estimated to be around $11 million by Jon Hollinger of The Athletic. However, he said that he wouldn’t be surprised by any number when it comes to Oladipo.
Lakers May ‘Lose Out’ on Alex Caruso
GettySoon-to-be free agent guard Alex Caruso.
The Lakers have been linked to a bevy of free agent options, but one near and dear to the heart of the purple and gold faithful is Alex Caruso.
While the numbers don’t necessarily show it, Caruso played a key role off the bench for the Lakers, averaging 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He garnering NBA All-Defensive Team votes with the Lakers finishing with the league’s top-ranked defense.
The Lakers might be out of the running for Caruso, per Bleacher Report.
The Lakers may also lose out on point guard Alex Caruso. There’s a sense around the league that Caruso will have several options at the full mid-level of $9.5 million. He will take meetings with teams in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, and the Washington Wizards have been frequently mentioned by league personnel as a suitor to monitor.
It’s clear Caruso would have to take at least a small discount to land back in LA, but he understands his rise into the spotlight would not have happened in another market.
“Anytime you play with those two, you have a realistic chance to win a championship. I know a lot of people around the league think they do,” Caruso said. “But it’s a realistic, attainable goal with those two guys on your team, so that’s always in the back of your mind.
“I understand different things happen in L.A. for certain reasons. I’m forever grateful for that, and we’ll see where everything lies.”
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