This offseason should be an interesting one for the Los Angeles Lakers as they clearly have a number of holes to fix on their roster after a first-round postseason exit.
Unfortunately though, the Lakers have a limited number of resources to make those improvements considering they have at least 10 of their own free agents to potentially re-sign and are already over the salary cap.
That makes bringing in outside free agents more difficult, although sign-and-trades are always a possibility in addition to the mid-level exception.
One option could be Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who recently declined his option in order to test free agency. According to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News, Dinwiddie has a desire to play in his hometown of Los Angeles:
Dinwiddie, however, is unlikely to return to the Nets after taking a below-market-value three-year deal worth $34 million. A source told The Daily News the combo guard wants to go home, or “wants the bag.”
“Home is the preferred destination,” the source told The Daily News. “But he wants to secure his financial future, too.”
Home for Dinwiddie is Los Angeles, where he spent the entire season rehabbing from his ACL tear at Phenom Sports Performance. If Dinwiddie were to join the Lakers or Clippers, it would have to be in a sign-and-trade.
Dinwiddie attended Taft High School in Woodland Hills before eventually becoming a breakout star in the NBA. He had a career year in 2019-20, averaging 20.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 64 games for Brooklyn.
He only played in three games this past season before going down with a torn ACL, which ended his season. He had hoped to get back for the NBA Finals before Brooklyn was eliminated, so he should have no issues being ready for the start of next season.
May be tough for Lakers to land Dinwiddie
As Winfield alluded to in his report though, it won’t be easy for the Lakers to acquire Dinwiddie this offseason since it would have to be a sign-and-trade.
Not only would L.A. have to give up a valuable player such as Kyle Kuzma or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but acquiring a free agent via sign-and-trade would also hard cap them, so other free agents like Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker would likely be forced to sign elsewhere.
So even though Dinwiddie is a solid fit on the court next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis as a ballhandler that can get his own shot, the Lakers will likely look at other options this summer to avoid gutting their roster.
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