The Los Angeles Lakers made no moves at the 2024 trade deadline since no deals became available to them. Instead, the big fish that the Lakers landed just after the deadline was Spencer Dinwiddie, who was traded to the Toronto Raptors and then released.
At the very least, Dinwiddie was signed to provide the Lakers with D’Angelo Russell insurance. If D’Lo’s hot streak ended and he reverted to his old ways during the playoffs, the Lakers would have another point guard to hurl at opponents.
The hope was that Dinwiddie’s play would turn around from what it had been all season. That has not always been the case, as the seasoned point guard has battled in Los Angeles. To be fair, it is a small sample size, but Dinwiddie’s performance thus far is unimpressive.
The Lakers do not have the luxury of waiting for Dinwiddie to figure things out, and with so many injuries on the roster, the team needs all the depth it can get. With that said, there is one current veteran free agent that may provide the Lakers with everything they need if Dinwiddie proves to be a disappointment.
Lakers should sign Joe Harris after whiffing on Spencer Dinwiddie
The Detroit Pistons terminated veteran sharpshooter Joe Harris at the trade deadline, and he has yet to sign with a new team. Normally, someone like Harris would be picked up right away by a competitive team, but the new CBA restrictions have decimated his market.
Because Harris’ contract was so high, no teams above the second tax bracket (which included the majority of the contenders) were able to sign him after he was waived. That leaves the mid-tier competitors, such as the Lakers, and no team has come forward to sign Harris.
The Lakers still have $3.3 million in cap space before reaching the first tax apron, allowing the team to sign a minimum free agent without incurring additional fines. Harris makes the most sense of anyone on the diminished market if the Lakers want to maximize their available space.
Harris has a career three-point shooting of 40% and has led the league in that category twice. Hit shooting stats are down this season, but it could be due to Detroit’s awful system rather than his ability to hit threes.
If the Lakers are going to make a postseason run, they will need someone who can routinely hit three-pointers off the bench. If Rui Hachimura remains in the starting lineup after Jarred Vanderbilt returns, LA will not have a single solid shooter to rely on off the bench.
The Lakers’ one issue this season is that there aren’t many prospects to waive. The only players who may realistically be waived are Dinwiddie, Max Christie, and Taurean Prince. Prince is the apparent pick among the three, but Darvin Ham adores him too much for the team to do so.
However, once Vando is healthy, there is no need for Prince, thus waiving him in favor of a shooter like Harris may be the best option.
Leave a Reply