The Los Angeles Lakers are on the verge of a little crisis right now. With only 24 games remaining in their schedule, they’re still a couple spots out of the playoffs picture despite LeBron James’ efforts.
This team is really messed up right now and their chemistry is at an all-time low following the Anthony Davis saga and the trade rumors, so it’s pretty clear that they need as much help as they can right now, especially with Lonzo Ball set to be on the shelf for a while longer.
But, with the trade deadline already on the books, who could they actually pursue in the buyout market? Let’s take a look at the top 5 realistic options they could get right now. Note: for this to happen, players must be bought out prior to March 1.
5. Jeff Green
Jeff Green has always been a solid scorer, though consistency has been his major issue. The talent and upside are there, and he already knows what is like to play with (for) LeBron James from his Cavs stint.
The Wizards are not going to make the playoffs and they should be trying to offload as many assets as they can right now, and his streaky shooting may come really handy for a Lakers team lacking a consistent stroke from deep.
4. Greg Monroe
Greg Monroe isn’t much of a rim protector, which may be an issue for the Lakers, but he’s a tailor-made small-ball center for this team. He’s a good scorer, and Bron can really make the most out of him in the pick and roll.
Monroe’s career has taken a major downfall since leaving the Pistons, but he can still produce over 10 points per game coming off the bench, and that may be more than enough for him to make an impact for this team the same way Kenneth Faried has done for the Houston Rockets.
3. Dewayne Dedmon
Ever since the start of the season, Dewayne Dedmon has actually been quite a solid big man. He’s not the rim-runner the Lakers would love to have, but he’s a guy that can establish position down low and own both sides of the glass.
Dedmon is a tough competitor and the kind of physical presence they’ve lacked below the rim even despite Tyson Chandler’s addition, and the Hawks are likely to buy him out as they favor Alex Len with more playing time.
2. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony has been closely tied with a move to the Los Angeles Lakers ever since the Houston Rockets shut him down for the season, and the team was interested in signing him if a roster spot opened up.
So, the fact that they haven’t signed him yet is a bit of a surprise, and I personally don’t think he can contribute the way they hope unless he embraces a much lesser role. If he accepts the fact that his prime is over and tries to do his part and not much more, he can be huge for them.
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1. DeAndre Jordan
The New York Knicks aren’t trying to win games right now as they blatantly tank to try and get Zion Williamson, so they’re likely to buyout DeAndre Jordan as he intends to win his first NBA Championship.
Jordan knows what is like to play at the Staples from his 10-year stint with the Clippers and he’s the kind of dominant rim protector and rebounder the Lakers have craved since the start of the season.
