ESPN radio personality suggests Lakers should go after Zach LaVine
· Yahoo Sports
With training camp roughly a month and a half away from starting, the Los Angeles Lakers would still like to add a starting-level wing or forward to their roster. They have had a level of interest in Jonathan Kuminga since NBA free agency officially opened on June 30, but according to a recent report, their efforts to land him in a sign-and-trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks have stalled for a while.
Given the difficulty of landing Kuminga, as well as his many red flags, plenty of Lakers fans feel the team should either go after someone else or simply stand pat until a robust option becomes available later on.
Visit sportbet.rodeo for more information.
Jorge Sedano, a well-known sports radio personality for ESPN in the Los Angeles area, said that instead of going after Kuminga, the Lakers should take a look at Sacramento Kings wing Zach LaVine (h/t Heavy Sports).
“What if Zach LaVine becomes available or they buy him out? Do they buy him out or something?” Sedano asked.
Sedano acknowledged that LaVine has a history of not being able to stay healthy, but to him, the 31-year-old is much preferable to Kuminga.
“I know he’s had an injury history; I’d rather take a chance on someone like that — if he becomes available, which is a big if — than Jonathan Kuminga,” Sedano added. “That’s just my two cents.
“I just don’t think Jonathan Kuminga is worth the hassle.”
LaVine has always been a capable scorer and has always been rather athletic. He averaged 19.2 points a game while shooting 47.9% from the field and 39% from 3-point range last season, and in addition to everything else, he has consistently been a high-percentage, high-volume 3-point shooter.
But LaVine, who played one year of college basketball at the University of California, Los Angeles, has never been known as a good defender. The Lakers need a starting wing or forward who is a genuine two-way player, not one who excels at one end of the floor but is lacking on the other end.
He has one year left on his contract at $48.97 million. There have been rumors that the Kings might buy out his contract, but a few days ago NBA insider Marc Stein reported that a buyout won't happen.
"One source close to the process told The Stein Line that the Kings are operating under the premise that LaVine will start the season as a King and added that 'no buyout' is being discussed," Stein wrote on his Substack.
The Lakers' best option at this point may be to simply wait until someone who would defintely be that final piece to a championship puzzle could be had by them.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: ESPN radio personality suggests Lakers should go after Zach LaVine