The Los Angeles Lakers are currently preparing for the unofficial second half of their season following the All-Star Game over the weekend. The Lakers are currently in a solid position in the Western Conference playoff picture, but are just two games above the play-in line, meaning things could get dangerous down the road.
Los Angeles had a relatively quiet trade deadline, trading Gabe Vincent to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for sharpshooter Luke Kennard, but did little to address his lack of defensive versatility.
Now, some people are already looking forward to the summer, when many three-and-D free agents will be on the market.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, an Eastern Conference executive said, "They need to bring in more defenders with length who can knock down a shot."
"Unrestricted free agents who have been discussed internally, sources told ESPN, include Andrew Wiggins and Tari Eason, while Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade are other players who fit that profile," McMenamin reported.
McMenamin also said that "the Lakers also privately discussed the signing of restricted free agent Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets."
At this point, all indications are that the Nuggets plan to bring Watson back after his breakout campaign this season, although Denver ownership has a history of letting prized free agents walk out the door due to an unwillingness to go to some tax apron.
Last year, the Lakers had a solid two-way player in Dorian Finney-Smith, but he joined the Houston Rockets in free agency over the summer.
Currently, there is not a single player on the Lakers roster who is above average on either end of the floor, and many expect the problem to be exposed come playoff time, as it was last year.
The Lakers' season continues on Friday evening against the Los Angeles Clippers.
