The Los Angeles Lakers concluded their season with another defeat in a series against the Denver Nuggets. To overcome this hurdle next season, the Lakers will likely need to enhance their roster. Here are five potential candidates the Lakers might pursue during the offseason.
SG Donovan Mitchell
The Cleveland guard would be a great trade candidate for the Lakers, as Mitchell is an outstanding offensive player, averaging 26.6 points this season. Los Angeles is looking for someone to take the load off of LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ plates, and adding the elite scorer would do just that.
PG/SG Kyrie Irving
This one would make the most sense, as Irving could be on the trading block this offseason, and has already won an NBA championship with James in 2016. Irving has said that he would have liked to join the Lakers this season via a trade, so the veteran scorer is one to look out for in the trade market this time around.
C Andre Drummond
The Lakers need a dominant body who can rebound and play defense in the paint. Drummond, a free agent this offseason, has been that his whole career, averaging 12.4 rebounds a game. The current Chicago Bull could also take some of the stress off of Davis by defending post players and allowing Davis more freedom on the offensive side of the ball.
PG Trae Young
The Lakers were 24th in three-pointers made this season in a league where shooting beyond the arc is of the utmost importance. Adding a shooter like Trae Young (37.7% three-point shooting this season) would be exactly what Los Angeles needs to get over the hump in the Western division. The Lakers would have to acquire the current Atlanta Hawk via trade.
PG/SG James Harden
The Clippers guard will be a free agent this offseason, and after being eliminated in the first round by the Mavericks, Harden may be looking to jump ship to a more viable contender. The Lakers need another guard who can create their own shot, and Harden is one of the best at doing so.
