The Lakers, who have found nothing in the trading market, have to set their sights on the next buyout market, according to Lakers reporter Jovan Buha, they have locked in a number of defenders, including veteran Dragic. The latter joined the Spurs in a previous deal, but is rumored to have reached a buyout with the team.
Born in 1986, Dragic, 35 years old, is a point guard from Slovenia, entered the NBA in 2008 as the 45th overall pick in the second round, has played in the league for 14 seasons so far, he has not only been the fastest improving player, but also named the All-Star and the Season Team.
In the 2019-20 season, he helped the Heat reach the Finals with his outstanding performance, but he was sent to Toronto as a chip in lowry's trade last summer, and so far this season, he has only played 5 games for the Raptors, averaging 8 points, 3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, shooting 38.2% from the field and only 28.6% from three-point range.
Although the decline in various statistics this season is obvious, it is generally believed that his form is mainly affected by injuries and the reduction of playing time. As a 35-year-old veteran, Dragic has a wealth of game experience, especially in the past 21 playoff games, he has averaged 18.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1 steal per game.
Although the Lakers introduced Westbrook last summer, the latter's combination with James and Davis did not help the team succeed, and the team currently has a record of only 26 wins and 31 losses, ranking ninth in the West. They desperately need a backup point guard like Dragic to lead the bench.
However, it should be noted that the team interested in Dragic is far more than the Lakers, according to foreign media reports, including the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and other teams are interested in him. Compared with the championship-winning competitiveness that these teams have shown, the Lakers are clearly at a disadvantage in this battle.