At present, the NBA All-Star Game is underway, and the Lakers, who have not made any moves before the trade deadline, have begun to pay attention to the buyout market. Before the trade deadline, the Lakers general manager contacted a number of teams for the deal, but the Lakers' chips could not impress other teams. In the end, the Lakers can only strengthen the lineup by picking up leaks in the buyout market. Earlier, Pelinka said that picking up leaks in the buyout market can improve the lineup. In the 2019-20 season, the Lakers signed Big Morris in the buyout market, making up for the team's weakest link. That season, the Lakers successfully won the championship. However, today is different from the past, the Lakers have a bad record this season, and the team must make a big move in the buyout market to really improve the lineup.
In the current situation, the most popular player in the buyout market is undoubtedly Dragic. Earlier, the famous record Ofania reported that Dragic had reached a buyout with the Spurs. In order to improve the lineup, the Raptors sent Dragic to the Spurs, and the Spurs received a first-round draft pick. Dragic and Doncic are fellow countrymen and as a European defender Dragic has a wealth of experience, so there are many championship teams that have been following him. In 2015, Dragic signed a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Heat. Dragic's salary before the buyout this season was $19.4 million, and he must be paid a base salary to join a championship-winning team.
The media broke the news that the team that is most likely to get Dragic at present is the Lakers. The media pointed out that the Lakers have received a promise from Dragic, and Dragic will sign a contract with the Lakers after the clarification period. This is undoubtedly good news for the Lakers. In the case of Davis' injury, James needed helpers to relieve his stress.
So, what can Dragic bring to the Lakers?
Last summer, the Lakers got Westbrook through a trade, but the combination of Westbrook and James was not so ideal. Wei Shao's offensive means are limited, and his shooting threat is limited, so many opponents will choose to empty him and pack the rest of the Lakers. As a defender, Westbrook does not have rich offensive skills, and his ability to block and dismantle is poor, and he cannot play more with James. Nowitzki has commented that Dragic is a defender who is very good at blocking and dismantling, and he can score points through his own attack, pass the ball to his teammates after scoring, and assist teammates to score.
For James, all he needs is such a guard partner. Among the Lakers' guards, Munch's projection ability is excellent, but his passing ability is average; Tucker Jr. has a strong breakthrough ability, but his shooting ability is average. Only Dragic, who has a variety of offensive means, can bring a lot of help to the Lakers on the offensive end.