The trade deadline has come and gone with the Lakers not making a single move. Despite all the chatter that they would strike a deal, they came out empty-handed in the end.
Fortunately, the team is good enough with the pieces they have to make a significant run at a Championship this postseason — but we’d be lying if we said they didn’t have holes to fill.
Besides LeBron James and Alex Caruso, the Lakers don’t have a reliable ball-handling point guard to help direct the offense and set up teammates on the floor. Their window for making trades is closed, but it doesn’t mean they can’t sign someone in free agency.
One suggestion made by Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus includes bringing back a former Laker that is currently awaiting his next opportunity.
I'm not going to endorse this but if there's no better choice off buyout, is there a better free agent fit than Lance Stephenson for the Lakers? Played with Vogel before, played with LeBron before – not a point but has played point. Not a shooter but can shoot
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) February 10, 2020
Lance was a controversial contributor for the Lakers last year. While he was a solid two-way backup guard at times, there were plenty of moments where his theatrics outshined his performance.
His game is predicated on showmanship, and it can often be a distraction to the team.
Still, at 29, he’s got enough in the tank to give the Lakers what they need most: a ball-handling playmaker. He has always shown flashes of what he can do on offense and his current stint in China has become a showcase of those talents.
Whether or not the Lakers deem him worthy enough to bring back, though, will be no easy question to answer.
