After agreeing to acquire superstar guard Russell Westbrook on Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers’ biggest roster need is outside shooting.
To that end, they could be targeting veteran guards Wayne Ellington and Patty Mills.
“The Lakers need shooting,” wrote Broderick Turner, Andrew Greif and Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “One name that is coming up is Patty Mills. He can shoot the lights out and would be great off the bench. Wayne Ellington is another shooter who has interest in rejoining the Lakers. Trevor Ariza and Andre Iguodala are veteran wings who are candidates. Carmelo Anthony is interested, just waiting on a call from the Lakers when free agency opens Monday. Guess who might be back for a third time? Yup, Dwight Howard is ready to return and play center. Jeff Green and Goran Dragic also are names to look out for.”
Ellington, a 33-year-old journeyman, has always been a reliable spot-up shooter. He hit 42.2 percent of his 3-point attempts last season for the Detroit Pistons, and he has a lifetime mark of 38.2 percent from downtown.
Mills has spent most of his 12-year career with the San Antonio Spurs. For his career he has shot 38.8 percent from downtown, and he earned an NBA championship ring in 2014, ironically against LeBron James.
The Lakers’ backcourt could be crowded this coming season. In addition to Westbrook, the team will at least try to re-sign guards Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker, both of whom are free agents.
This past season, the Lakers, at times, struggled mightily from 3-point range, which is why it would behoove them to acquire some more reliable marksmen.
