Report: Los Angeles Lakers Named ‘Dark-Horse’ Destination for Top NBA Free Agent

The Los Angeles Lakers may be considered a top target for many free agents this season. The team may try to cover the guard position. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report has made a completely different theory. According to him, the Los Angeles Lakers are a “Dark-horse” option for an NBA free agent.

It’s Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Danilo Gallinari.

How will Rob Pelika fix this? LA doesn’t have enough cap space to sign such a big name. Favale has provided a sign-and-trade scenario for both teams.

“Cobbling together enough outgoing money without including Danny Green will be the real challenge. It depends on where Gallinari’s price point falls and how many incumbents exercise their player options. Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo all become useful salary filler if they forgo the chance to explore free agency.

“A package assembled around Bradley, McGee and Quinn Cook (non-guaranteed) would let the Lakers start Gallinari at around $17.2 million. They can drive up that number by dealing the No. 28 pick as an actual salary, including yet another player or subbing in KCP’s money for anyone.

“Is this enough to get the Thunder to bite? Debatable. It is definitely more appealing if they’re saving immediate cash in any eventual Chris Paul trade.”

The Lakers to go after a talented NBA free agent

Gallinari was the sixth-overall in the 2008 draft. He has had an incredible career. The veteran power forward has averaged over 15 points per game in each of the last five years. His 3-point shooting is really strong, and the Lakers can fit that on the roster.

Gallinari isn’t a player who will come off the bench. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel will have to make some changes to the lineup. The power forward is 6 feet 10, but he can play power forward or small forward. If he plays small forward, the Lakers will be left with four guys 6 feet 9 or over in the starting lineup. Most NBA teams go small, and the Lakers may have problems in that aspect. Favale believes that Davis will probably go under center if LA gets Gallinari.

“This is much less of a question for the Lakers. Gallinari forces Anthony Davis to play more 5 or for head coach Frank Vogel to roll out supersized lineups with two bigs, Gallo and LeBron James, but that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker. The Lakers can get creative with how they stagger minutes if AD won’t, finally, warm up to being a full-time 5. Gallinari is most valuable to them as a shot creator (and foul-drawer) who can inoculate their half-court offense against huge drop-offs without LeBron anyway.”