NBA – After the Gafford failure, Lakers in pursuit of another ex-teammate of Luka Doncic?

Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif

In a bid to boost their title chances while convincing Luka Doncic to remain loyal to them over the long term, the Lakers seem intent on recruiting the Slovenian’s former partners. After Daniel Gafford, another Dallas player is said to be on their radar.

While waiting to hear LeBron James’ decision, they seem to be planning their off-season on the assumption that the King will still be in their ranks next year. The Lakers must therefore design a squad capable of playing for the title, and thus meet the demands of their leader. Despite this, they are also keeping an eye on the medium term, so as not to see Luka Doncic slip through their fingers.

Having arrived in Los Angeles last February, the Slovenian genius will already be able to test the free agent market next summer. To avoid this, his managers hope to convince him to extend his contract by then. And the best way to do this is to build a competitive roster in which he feels comfortable. This explains the many rumours linking the Californian franchise to the Mavericks once again.

A new Mavs player in the Lakers’ sights?

Since their elimination from the playoffs, the Lakers have been looking first and foremost for a center. One of the main leads they had supposedly activated was Daniel Gafford. However, Gafford recently extended his contract with Dallas, putting an end to the matter. However, the Angelino staff may be looking at another Mavs target, Dante Exum. Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reports:

Anthony Irwin: “Before joining the Lakers, Rob Pelinka was Exum’s agent. The relationship between the two men is already well established. (…) He’s a very solid outside defender, and I like the fact that he’s a bit taller and longer than an average back, which the Lakers need. He’s one of the players the Lakers are going to be interested in, and to whom they could offer the veteran minimum.”

Also in search of players with a “3 and D” profile, the Lakers would be well served with Exum. After all, he shot 47.2% from 3-point range over the last two seasons, and certainly doesn’t count his efforts on defense. The icing on the cake is that he will become a free agent in a few days’ time and will therefore be eligible for a minimum salary, if other franchises don’t show more generosity towards him.

It should be noted that the Australian guard was attracted by the prospect of joining the Purple & Gold on the bangs of his draft, in 2014, which could play in their favor:

Dante Exum: “The Lakers are obviously a great franchise. I entered this draft to get to a place where I feel good, where I can thrive and that will suit me best in my eyes, no matter which one it is.”