2016 Free Agent Targets for LA Lakers

These players have a realistic chance of switching teams and at market price should be good fits for the rising franchise:

  1. Kevin Durant: Duh
  2. Hassan Whiteside (C, 27): Defensive anchor to erase mistakes made by Lakers’ young core. Should continue to perform well under player’s coach Luke Walton.
  3. DeMar DeRozan (G-F, 26): Max money for this LA native would be a slight overpay, but talent is talent.
  4. Al Horford (C-F, 30): Just turned 30 and finally played two injury-free seasons. Great player but doesn’t fit the trajectory of Lakers’ young core.
  5. Chandler Parsons (F, 27): Coming off major surgeries. Pass if he asks for the max.
  6. Nicholas Batum (F, 27): Great player, but not at the max.
  7. Ryan Anderson (F, 28): Can shoots 3s, post and offensive board = a prototypical stretch 4. Would be good to pair with one of the max guys.
  8. Bismack Biyombo (C, 23): Athletic center that broke-out during playoffs. Going to get more than $16 mil a year.
  9. Festus Ezeli (C, 26):  Older version of Biyombo.
  10. Kent Bazemore (F-G, 26): 3 and D wing. But can’t D the wings that matter (LeBron, KD, Kawhi)
  11. Evan Fournier (G, 23): Klay Thompson lite. Throw 4 years $60mil at him and hope Magic don’t match.

*I did not forget about Mike Conley, Andre Drummond, Dwight Howard, or Bradley Beal. Those guys aren’t coming to LA.

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