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After making a deal for Luke Kennard at the trade deadline the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to target the buyout market to fill the roster.
Despite their interest in several players ahead of the NBA trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers made just one deal to strengthen their roster, led by Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
The trade saw the Lakers move Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Luke Kennard. While they had eyes for a few other targets, nothing else came to fruition as the deadline has now passed.
However, while some Laker fans might be wishing for more, thatdoesn’t mean Los Angelesis done making moves this season.According to team insider Dave McMenamin,after that trade, the Lakers have an open roster spot,andthey could be a top candidate to land a player on thebuyout market.
Dave McMenamin
The Vincent-Kennard swap is the lone transaction the Lakers completed before the deadline, sources said. Now L.A. is focused on evaluating its two-way spots and monitoring the buy-out market. The Lakers have one open roster spot, but could create another one by waiving a player.
“The Vincent-Kennard swap is the lone transaction the Lakers completed before the deadline, sources said,”McMenamin wrote in a post on X. “Now L.A. is focused on evaluating its two-way spots and monitoring thebuy-out market. The Lakers have one open roster spot, but could create another one by waiving a player.”
While the Lakers have now added the most efficient three-point shooter in the NBA with Kennard, they now have the chance to snag another impactful player in time for a playoff push.
LakersBuyout Candidates After Trade Deadline
The annual NBAbuyoutmarket features players bought out of their contractsfrom their previous teams. It usually consists of veterans whowere traded to younger teams that are looking for one moretitle shot and theability to play with a contender. This year, there are a few interesting candidates who are either currently on thebuyout market or expected to beon it very soon.
Per recent articles on Bleacher Report and CBS Sports, here are a fewbuyout candidates following the trade deadline:
Chris Paul, Mike Conley, Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, Cam Thomas, and Khris Middleton.
Conleyis expected to go back to the Timberwolves, while Ballis rumored to be heading to the Hornets to team up with his brother. DeRozan is still under contract, and with the massive amounthe’s still owed, the possibility of him being abuyout candidate is more unlikely than the rest on this list.
The Nets have already bought out Thomas, and he could be a strong addition for the Lakers in the final third of the season.
Shams Charania
The Brooklyn Nets are waiving Cam Thomas, allowing the scoring guard to enter free agency, sources tell ESPN. The Nets made the decision to allow Thomas to find a new home.
Middleton’sfuture is uncertain, but he could also be a solidshooting addition.
Finally, Paulis expected tobe bought out after hewas included in a trade from the Clippers to the Raptors. While even if the Lakers could pick him up, the chance of him being an impactful player for them is unlikely, as he would probably morph into an assistant coach type, rather than a backup or even reserve point guard.
While the 2026buyout market could be intriguing, there are a few two-way players the Lakers could sign to a full-time deal. Nick Smith Jr., Chris Manon, and Drew Timme are their current two-way players, and according to insider Brett Siegel, the latteris expected to be the one to get a contract.
“Lakers may still make another small move to open up a roster spot. They like Drew Timme a lot.”
Dave McMenamin
LeBron James with some heady praise for Lakers two-way big man Drew Timme: “He’s a smart basketball player. He knows how to play the game. And his IQ correlates to this level. So it’s great to see that the coaches have believed in him”
It might require the Lakers to cut ties with someone else on their roster, but in limited time with the franchise this year, Timme has received rave reviews.
Lakers Giannis Trade Rumors
The Lakers were not one of the teams mentioned by Shams Charania as in the hunt to land Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade before the deadline. Though hewas never moved, Los Angelesdidn’t have a strong enough package to offer for the superstar compared to the other teams in the race.
However, they should notbe ruled out from making a push for the two-time MVP over the summer. The Lakers have a knack for landing superstar talent, and according to multiple sources, theyare expected to target the Greek Freak over the offseason, when they have more cap flexibility and first-round picks available to be moved.
According to Jacob Rude, Los Angeles could offer a newly-signed Reaves, along with three first-rounders and a few other assets for Antetokounmpo over the summer.
Legion Hoops
The Lakers could offer (sign-and-trade) Austin Reaves, 3 1st-round picks, and major cap relief to the Bucks this summer for Giannis to help jumpstart Milwaukee’s rebuild, per @JacobRude.
“One major appeal in theLakers’ package will be the cap relief they can offer Milwaukee,”Rude wrote. “Does that mean Austin Reaves will be involved in a potential sign-and-trade?He’s certainly the best player the Bucks couldget back, but it requires the Lakers to be willing to trade him and for Reaves to want togo to Milwaukee. With him, the Lakers would have the best trade package. Without him, it becomes much more of a debate.”
Though hedidn’t get moved at the deadline, the Lakers are a team to watch as the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes continue into the offseason.Per Jake Fischer, they are prioritizing cap space to add players who fit around Doncic, and withJames likely leaving this summer, that could open the dooron a trade for the 2021 Finals MVP.