NBA Free Agency 2023: 3 most important targets for the Lakers
Most important targets for the Lakers: 1. D’Angelo Russell (on a team-friendly deal)
D’Angelo Russell is a player that struggled for the Lakers in the playoffs. He was a solid player for the team during the rest of the regular season after being acquired at the trade deadline. Still, he didn’t play well on the offensive end in the postseason and his defense was a disaster. The Lakers do not have a lot of cap space and could use Russell as a trade chip. If the Lakers were able to get Russell on a $60 million deal over three years, they could potentially use this as a trade chip at the deadline next season.
A team that doesn’t have a lot of offense in the playoffs could use Russell. The Lakers could also look for a sign-and-trade deal where they are able to get assets in return for helping an over-cap team sign Russell this offseason. While that would be the ideal solution for the Lakers, that situation is a bit unlikely due to the fact that it is a situation where you have to be a bit lucky finding the right partner.
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