10 Best Shooters The Los Angeles Lakers Can Land Right Now

The Los Angeles Lakers are not a good team, as their deficiencies lie in the fact that Anthony Davis is always injured, Russell Westbrook can only be used as a bench player, and the roster is devoid of defense and shooting. There isn’t much the Lakers can do about Davis’ injuries, Westbrook is being dangled as trade bait, and defense is mainly about effort. That means the only thing the Lakers can possibly do to save their season is to add shooting. Even head coach Darvin Ham, who has been generally positive about his team, could not hold back anymore and implied that the team needs shooters.

In the modern NBA, shooting is key. The Golden State Warriors set a standard with their 4 NBA titles as they had the two best shooters in the world on the team, along with Kevin Durant (a career 38.4% 3-PT FG) for two of their title runs. The Cleveland Cavaliers had Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, and J.R. Smith in their title run, and even the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 had solid shooters in Khris Middleton (39.0%), Pat Connaughton (35.9%) and Bryn Forbes (40.9%). On the flip side, the Lakers have terrible shooting.

LeBron James is shooting a putrid 29.3% from deep this season, Russell Westbrook is hitting the mark 29.1% of the time, Anthony Davis has shot under 30% for 3 straight seasons, Patrick Beverley is at 34.2%, and Dennis Schroder is slightly above his career mark at 36.2%. With the three most talented players shooting under 30% and the guards hardly picking up the slack, the Lakers need to change their roster by adding marksmen. How else can a LeBron James-led team succeed? The King is posting 29.7 PPG this season and is still unstoppable when he attacks, so shooters are necessary.

The Lakers can find a way to add shooting in two ways: by trading, Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, and one/both of their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks or by swapping out 6th Man of the Year candidate Russell Westbrook. In some cases, both the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks will be needed to acquire one of the below players. Of course, in doing the latter, the Lakers need to make sure the other team can absorb $47 million this season. Without further ado, here are the 10 best shooters the Lakers can add to their roster before the February trade deadline.

Duncan Robinson

2022-23 Statistics: 6.9 PPG, 36.8% FG, 33.1% 3-PT FG, 90.9% FT

This acquisition is as obvious as it gets, even if the player is dealing with injuries and inconsistent minutes. Duncan Robinson is a career 40.1% three-point shooter, and he could rediscover his best form with the Lakers as he is only averaging 6.9 PPG this season on 17.9 MPG. He can get back to his best (2020 and 2021 seasons) when he posted over 13 PPG on over 40% shooting from three. Alongside LeBron James, that is clearly possible.

Luckily, the Miami Heat won’t want too much of what the Lakers will offer. Perhaps Beverley and Nunn could be a nice enough package, even if a first-round pick will be negotiated for. Nunn had his best years with Miami and could be comfortable getting back to playing significant minutes. Robinson is one of the best pure shooters on the market, and the Lakers should do everything possible to get him.

Eric Gordon

2022-23 Statistics: 12.2 PPG, 42.7% FG, 35.2% 3-PT FG, 81.2% FT

Eric Gordon is not the same player that won 6th Man of the Year in 2017 with the Houston Rockets as he has aged. The swingman is 34 years old and has some mileage on his legs after being a key part of Mike D’Antoni’s offense for years. But even at his age, Gordon is a better player than what the Lakers have in the starting lineup in terms of scoring, even if his shooting numbers are down.

Eric is a career 37.0% shooter from three, an above-average figure considering the swingman also defends well and can attack the rim consistently. Gordon specializes in very deep shots as well, so the Lakers do not have to worry about where to place him on the court. The Houston Rockets are the worst team in the NBA, so trading their 34-year-old veteran for a first-round pick could be in the cards.

Tim Hardaway Jr.

2022-23 Statistics: 14.0 PPG, 39.0% FG, 36.1% 3-PT FG, 79.2% FT

Tim Hardaway Jr. is not exactly his father, but he has a completely different playing style. The shooting guard is best as a spot-up shooter, as he has a career 35.8% from deep. Hardaway Jr. is not automatic, as he can be streaky, but when he is hot, he is easily better than anyone the Lakers have right now. The shooting guard hasn’t averaged under 15 PPG since the 2017 season, so he knows how to score and can slot in beside LeBron and Davis exceptionally well. The problem is, what will Dallas be willing to accept from the Lakers, considering the team could be willing to let him go?

The Lakers might not want to give up Russell Westbrook for a fringe starter, but shooting is more important than a triple-double threat off the bench. Also, would Dallas give up one of their best shooters for Kendrick Nunn, Patrick Beverley, and a pick? Perhaps, but the Lakers will try to keep Russ to bring in Hardaway Jr.

Gary Trent Jr.

2022-23 Statistics: 18.2 PPG, 43.6% FG, 36.0% 3-PT FG, 82.8% FT

Gary Trent Jr can heat up from deep, and he has been on a solid run of form since last season. The sharpshooter is averaging 18.2 PPG through 37 games this season and averaged 18.3 PPG through 70 games last year. Giving LeBron and Davis a confident shooter who has a quick release and short memory would be scary. In somewhat of a strange situation, this is a win-win deal for both the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers, as well.

Trent Jr signed a 3-year, $51.8 million contract in 2021, and there are reports that he is available for a trade at the right price. That means the Raptors are willing to sell, and the Lakers are willing to buy, so a package of Nunn, Beverley, and picks could be enough. Trent Jr is a career 38.4% shooter from deep, so again, he is an immediate upgrade for the Lakers, who need to clean house and add a true shooting guard…. that can shoot.

Bojan Bogdanovic

2022-23 Statistics: 21.2 PPG, 48.7% FG, 41.5% 3-PT FG, 88.5% FT

Bojan Bogdanovic is a player that the Lakers would die for because he can defend the perimeter, score from the outside, and has plenty of experience when it comes to playing with contending teams. Remember, Bojan was arguably the most consistent player for the playoff Jazz teams outside of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. At the same time, the Detroit Pistons might want to continue to tank, and Bojan is the odd man out.

Bogdanovic is posting 21.2 PPG this season and has been a key player for a long time, but at 33 years old, is he content with just settling for a lottery team? The best possible destination has to be the Los Angeles Lakers, who could desperately use Bogdan’s defense and shooting. A career 39.4% shooter from deep and shooting over 40%, Bogdanovic would be the Lakers’ best shooter and the third-best player outside of James and Davis. No doubt, Utah wants both picks and Westbrook to close this deal.

Jordan Clarkson

2022-23 Statistics: 21.1 PPG, 45.1% FG, 35.1% 3-PT FG, 81.8% FT

A hot scorer from off the bench and has proven good enough to be a starter this season (46 starts in 46 games), Clarkson is a great piece for any team needing immediate scoring. The 30-year-old is in his prime and is posting 21.1 PPG for the surprisingly decent Utah Jazz team that stands 23-24 as the 8th seed. Instead of wasting his talent on a first-round exit, Clarkson could reunite with the Lakers and also get a chance to play with LeBron James again.

Jordan Clarkson’s value has been high over the past few seasons, so Utah should cash in on him before the trade deadline. Interestingly, Clarkson has rejected a contract extension which could mean the Lakers can jump in and strike a deal with Utah. Russell Westbrook and picks would be heading the other way, and the Lakers finally get a scoring guard who can stroke the ball with confidence to start alongside LeBron James.

Terry Rozier

2022-23 Statistics: 20.8 PPG, 41.2% FG, 32.4% 3-PT FG, 83.5% FT

Terry Rozier has not changed his playing style at all, and teams know what to expect from “Scary Terry.” The guard plays hard, defends, and scores consistently from the perimeter, as he is posting 20.8 PPG this season as the team’s starter. A capable two-way guard, Rozier always competes on every possession and certainly wants to win, even if his team is playing atrocious basketball right now.

At 11-34, Charlotte’s season is a wrap. The Hornets could cash in on their starters, and that bodes well for the Lakers. At age 28, the guard still has a lot left to offer, and teams will want his services, and the Hornets will trade him for what the Lakers can offer, especially if there are picks involved. Rozier is shooting only 32.4% from three this season, but he can get close to his career average (37.1%) if he plays on a decent team. Of course, James will get Rozier much better shots than he is currently getting.

Buddy Hield

2022-23 Statistics: 18.0 PPG, 45.0% FG, 42.6% 3-PT FG, 87.7% FT

One of the best pure shooters in the NBA, starting-caliber swingman Buddy Hield is one of the most attractive targets for the Los Angeles Lakers. He has a perfect stroke from deep and has the potential to be a very effective 2-way player. So far this year, Hield is leading all players in most three-pointers made ahead of Anfernee Simons, Donovan Mitchell, and Stephen Curry. Clearly, his services would be perfect in Los Angeles alongside an elite playmaker in LeBron James.

A team like the Lakers would be perfect for his playing style. If they had a guy like Hield, their title chances would shoot up because they acquired the best shooter since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (38.5% 3-PT FG in 2020) was on the championship roster. To acquire Hield, the Indiana Pacers have made it clear what they want: Russell Westbrook and both first-round picks in exchange for the shooter and Myles Turner.

DeMar DeRozan

2022-23 Statistics: 26.1 PPG, 50.6% FG, 27.1% 3-PT FG, 88.7% FT

DeMar DeRozan is one of the most consistent mid-range shooters in the NBA and can be very impactful as long as he is surrounded by other elite players. DeMar is best suited as a second or third option for a championship team, and that means he will succeed with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers desperately need a consistent 20 PPG scorer to diversify their offense. DeMar is shooting 52.6% on 2-pt field goals, a very high number for a man averaging 26.1 PPG.

The Los Angeles Lakers need a scorer alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and DeRozan gives them that. DeMar is not a great three-point shooter, but he is a scoring upgrade over what the Lakers have in terms of Russell Westbrook attacking the rim. The Bulls will need both Lakers picks, Kendrick Nunn and Westbrook’s expiring contract to even consider this deal. With DeMar, the Lakers have the best Big Three in the league.

Zach LaVine

2022-23 Statistics: 23.9 PPG, 46.2% FG, 38.5% 3-PT FG, 84.1% FT

Even with his inconsistencies this season on an average Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine is an All-Star shooting guard. He’s averaging his lowest scoring average since 2018, as 22.4 PPG is not quite on par with how good the shooting guard is. But LaVine has made 2 All-Star Teams already, and he is at risk of not making another one this season. Regardless, LaVine is exactly what the Lakers need because his shooting percentages are very solid. At the same time, it might be possible that the All-Star shooting guard wants a shot at playing for the Purple and Gold, according to an executive.

If the Los Angeles Lakers part ways with Westbrook, Nunn, and picks, they might have a shot at bringing in the All-Star. Chicago might have lost the plot, and the Bulls would be smart to move on from LaVine to gain assets. LaVine is shooting close to 39% from three, is automatic from the free-throw line, and hardly takes bad shots. As the third option behind LeBron and Davis, LaVine would take the Lakers back to contention.

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