Heading into free agency, the biggest need the Los Angeles Lakers have is arguably young, productive two-way wings.
L.A. had to make do this season with washed-up vets at the spot, such as Trevor Ariza and Carmelo Anthony, as well as willing but unproven youngsters like Stanley Johnson and Wenyen Gabriel.
With today’s NBA based upon up-tempo offenses, 3-point shooting and switching defenses, the Lakers will need much better play from their wings if they are to become a good team again, let alone contenders.
Reportedly, the team will be interested in signing T.J. Warren, a 28-year-old, 6-foot-8 forward with the Indiana Pacers.
Report: T.J. Warren is among players Lakers are targeting with their taxpayer MLE, per @jovanbuha pic.twitter.com/afGJ10JhAj
— Top Ball Coverage (@TopBallCoverage) June 30, 2022
Warren can play both forward spots, although he is more of a small forward, and he has shown lots of productivity, especially on offense.
Late in 2020, he suffered a stress fracture in the navicular bone of his left foot, and he missed most of the 2020-21 season, as well as all of this season.
But just prior to that, he was becoming a hot commodity.
Warren averaged 19.8 points a game in 2020 while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from 3-point range.
In the Walt Disney World Resort bubble, he was one of the NBA’s hottest players, as he averaged 31.0 points in six seeding contests, which included a 53-point outburst.
