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After dropping their second consecutive game to a bottom-10 team on Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers need something to change, and they can start by using their open roster spot.
Friday marks the final day that teams can sign free agents that would be eligible to play in the postseason, and while it doesn’t look like the Lakers will be playing in the postseason this year, they’re still expected to wait until then to fill out their final roster spot with the hope that a difference-maker becomes available.
Last week, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report revealed that the Lakers were keeping tabs on DeAndre Jordan in case the New York Knicks bought him out, but Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times is hearing that there’s no chance that Jordan slips through the cracks within the coming days:
The Lakers wouldn’t mind adding another big man, according to people not authorized to speak publicly. But one player the Lakers can forget about is Knicks center DeAndre Jordan, because New York has no intention of buying him out, according to one person.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, considering the Knicks have made it clear they intend to keep Jordan, but it’s a reality check for fans — and members of the front office — that were banking on a player of Jordan’s caliber to breathe new life into this uninspired roster.
But, if Jordan’s not coming to L.A., who is? Unfortunately, as it stands, there are no names that jump out as clear fits for this Lakers team.
If it’s a big man they want, Marcin Gortat, Greg Monroe and Zach Randolph are all available, but their fits on the roster are questionable at best. Carmelo Anthony is also still on the market, but the Lakers reportedly prefer someone that has played recently. Melo hasn’t played since November.
The other, and least sexy option, is for them to call up someone from their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. Last season, the Lakers signed Travis Wear to a non-guaranteed contract midway through the season, so it wouldn’t be totally surprising to see them do that again with another player, if not Wear himself.
Regardless of what route they take, the Lakers could use a fresh new face in the locker room. We should find out if they’re going to add one, and who that player would be, in the coming days. It just sounds like it won’t be Jordan.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Christian on Twitter at @RadRivas.