After the madness that surrounded the trade deadline, it is now the buy-out market that risks unleashing the crowds in the NBA. The Lakers should in particular watch him carefully, and could set their sights on 5 big potential candidates!
Just minutes after the fateful hour, Dave McMenamin ofESPN announced that the Lakers were looking to the buy-out market for strength. They will necessarily not be the only ones to adopt this policy, and should therefore face stiff competition to recover one of the following 5 names.
5. Gary Harris
Recently relegated to the bench of the Magic, Gary Harris has a good chance of finding himself a free agent in the coming weeks. His shooter profile (38.8% at 3 points this season), his qualities as a defender, as well as his relative youth (27 years old) seem to correspond in particular to the needs expressed by Rob Pelinka and his assistants.
4. Paul Millsap
His name appeared in rumors linking him to the Lakers a few hours before the deadline, without this leading to an exchange. Finally sent to the 76ers in the James Harden deal, Paul Millsap may not enter Doc Rivers’ plans. His situation in Philadelphia will therefore be one to watch.
3. Dennis Schroeder
To everyone’s surprise, he too has been announced as a possible Los Angeles recruit in the home stretch of the transfer window. Finally sent to Houston by the Celtics, Dennis Schröder could not make old bones on the spot. Indeed, it seems unlikely that he will get involved in a project where Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. would be preferred to him for a starting place in the backcourt!
2. Goran Dragic
Before trading him to San Antonio in exchange for Thaddeus Young, the Raptors reportedly discussed a deal with the Lakers involving Goran Dragic. Now a member of Spurs, the Slovenian leader would also be destined for a buy-out, with a clear favorite who would already stand out to welcome him afterwards.
1. John Wall
Snubbed by many teams on the sidelines of the deadline, John Wall, however, came very close to joining the Purple & Gold. In the end, he remains a Rockets player for the moment, which does not necessarily suit his business, nor that of his franchise. It remains to be seen whether his leaders will change their minds about him, and agree to release him despite his exorbitant contract!
Don’t worry about teams like the Lakers having failed to strengthen themselves drastically via a trade, given all these pretty names who could soon be recruited following their buy-out!
