Report: Lakers plan to pursue ‘3-and-D wing’ with their final roster spot

With one final roster spot left to fill, the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly pursuing the acquisition of a wing player with both long-range shooting and defensive ability, otherwise known as a “3-and-D” player.

Jovan Buha and Jared Weiss of The Athletic looked at how the Lakers’ signing of center Andre Drummond will work and noted that one more currently unknown player with specific abilities is in their sights.

“The Lakers are currently at $137.53 million in total salary with about $1.39 million to spare under the hard cap,” Buha and Weiss wrote. “With the Lakers roster at 14, it meets the league minimum number of players on board. The Lakers are expected to pursue a 3-and-D wing with their final roster spot, per sources.”

Drummond will help the Lakers on both the scoring and rebounding front, due to his ability to consistently deliver a double-double each time he takes the court.

However, that addition doesn’t address the Lakers’ need to have someone who can connect from beyond the arc and also clamp down on opposing players when needed.

The Lakers have struggled since Anthony Davis went out with a calf injury last month and the issue was magnified when LeBron James was put out of action with a high ankle sprain. Both those players serve as the chief scoring outlets for the team, with their absences requiring some badly needed effort on both sides of the ball.

Exactly who fits the bill for the Lakers will remain a question mark, but the Lakers don’t have much time to waste as they continue to try to remain viable until James and Davis return.