The Los Angeles Lakers made a huge splash this past week when the team acquired Russell Westbrook. And while the prospect of LA getting a third superstar is appealing for obvious reasons, it also comes with a bit of an asterisk.
Westbrook, though an incredible talent, does not fill the Lakers’ biggest need: shooting. In fact, he’ll clog the team’s spacing up even more.
There is still a path for Rob Pelinka to acquire Buddy Hield from the Sacramento Kings, but it remains to be seen how feasible it truly is.
If Hield proves unattainable, the Lakers still find themselves in a decent position.
Why? Because a number of star veterans have expressed interest in taking a pay cut to come to LA.
This past week Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report did a Q&A on the app during which he divulged that Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony are two big names to watch.
Fischer then reiterated that point, and added another interesting name into the mix, during his most recent article.
“With Westbrook now headed to Los Angeles, multiple league personnel contacted by B/R expect there to be significant interest from several veterans, including DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony, to forgo higher salary opportunities elsewhere and join the Lakers in pursuit of a championship,” he wrote.
Anthony is coming off a season where he shot a career-best 40.9% from beyond the arc. He is reportedly moving closer to inking a deal with LA.
DeRozan’s recent cryptic social media post has also made many wonder about his Lakers future. Although he has never been known for being a standout three-point shooter, he is an extremely efficient long-two guy. They’re a dying breed in the NBA, but DeRozan is excellent at it. His 49.5 percent shooting from the field speaks for itself.
The Bucks owner’s daughter decided to bring 2021 in with a bang by stripping all her clothes off. https://t.co/UgzhEEna4o
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 7, 2021
Gay is another intriguing option. He averaged 11.4 points per game for the San Antonio Spurs last season while shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Any one of these guys would be a great pick-up for LA. Two would be spectacular. And if they get all three – the Lakers should become the new favorites to claim a title in 2021-22.
Related: Lakers In Trouble With NBA Over Russell Westbrook Tampering?
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
