Lakers, NBA free agency (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers have been among the most active teams during the 2021 offseason after revamping their roster with a slew of moves in NBA free agency.
After recently signing Rajon Rondo to a one-year deal worth the minimum, it appears that the team is finally done putting the finishing touches on their roster ahead of next season. Rondo will return to Los Angeles for his second stint, the first being during the eventful 2019-20 campaign, where the team won the NBA title for the first time in a decade.
Although Rondo has been taken off the market, there remains a handful of former Lakers still looking for teams next season. As free agency has started quieting down, their chances of ultimately getting another shot in the league remain up in the air, but some of these players could undoubtedly deserve a closer look.
With that being said, here are three former Lakers still on the market and some teams that should look into signing them.
Los Angeles Lakers: Wesley Matthews remains unsigned in NBA Free Agency
Signing Wesley Matthews on a minimum to kick off last year’s free agency seemed like a great move for the Lakers. He was coming off a solid season in 2019-20 as the starting shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, and LA fans were understandably excited about the addition due to his 3-and-D prowess. However, it never quite panned out how many initially envisioned.
Matthews struggled to find his place in the rotation all season, which hindered his playing time significantly. He shot career lows in field goal percentage (35.3) and 3-point percentage (33.5), which helped him play just 19.5 minutes per game. That was also a career-low in a season where he played the fewest games in his career at 58. It was a failed experiment for the Lakers, and it was not surprising to see the team not bring him back, instead replacing him with players like Malik Monk and Wayne Ellington.
Despite his down year with the Lakers, Matthews is a player that could help several contenders still looking to shore up their wing depth. After all, the guard has shot 37.5 percent from deep for his career, but recency bias will cloud the fact that Matthews has been a reputable outside shooter since he first came into the league. Defensively, he is not the young stud that he once was, but the guard is a capable defender that can take on big-name assignments. At 34-years-old, he would bring hard-earned experience to whichever team he signed with, along with some 3-and-D play.
When it comes to teams that should look to sign Matthews, there are many options. One team that stands out is the Chicago Bulls, who made several massive moves this offseason. As they look to leap back into contention this coming season, the biggest concern they currently face is how they will hold up defensively. While Matthews would not transform them into a formidable team on that side of the ball, he could help improve while providing some solid 3-point shooting on top of it.
Potential Landing Spot: Chicago Bulls
replacing him with players like Malik Monk and Wayne Ellington.</a></p>
<p>Despite his down year with the Lakers, Matthews is a player that could help several contenders still looking to shore up their wing depth. After all, the guard has shot 37.5 percent from deep for his career, but recency bias will cloud the fact that Matthews has been a reputable outside shooter since he first came into the league. Defensively, he is not the young stud that he once was, but the guard is a capable defender that can take on big-name assignments. At 34-years-old, he would bring hard-earned experience to whichever team he signed with, along with some 3-and-D play.</p>
<p>When it comes to teams that should look to sign Matthews, there are many options. One team that stands out is the Chicago Bulls, who made several massive moves this offseason. As they look to leap back into contention this coming season, the biggest concern they currently face is how they will hold up defensively. While Matthews would not transform them into a formidable team on that side of the ball, he could help improve while providing some solid 3-point shooting on top of it.</p>
<h3>Potential Landing Spot: Chicago Bulls</h3>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/03/lakers-unsigned-nba-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Avery Bradley </a>
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<img class="wp-image-435014 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/03/lakers-unsigned-nba-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1208972968.jpeg" alt="Los Angeles Lakers: Avery Bradley" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1208972968.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1208972968-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 25 (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Los Angeles Lakers: Avery Bradley remains unsigned in NBA Free Agency</h2>
<p>While he has become somewhat of a journeyman over the past few years, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/03/lakers-unsigned-nba-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bradlav01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Avery Bradley</a> was a key piece for the Lakers during the 2019-20 season. He would ultimately miss out on the team’s title run as he opted out of the NBA’s resumption of play, and although they managed to win the title without him, they certainly missed his presence.</p>
<p>Bradley has been named to two All-Defensive teams in his career, making a name for himself as arguably the best perimeter defender at the guard position. That defensive excellence was a big boost for Los Angeles on a nightly basis. On the offensive end, Bradley has also been a serviceable shooter from 3-point territory over his 11 years in the NBA by knocking down 36.3 percent of his shot attempts. He has also shown a knack for scoring the basketball by averaging double figures in five seasons previously.</p>
<p>With such a notable reputation as a solid 3-and-D guard, one would think that many contenders would be lining up to sign Bradley. However, injuries have hindered his chances to make a roster, especially after being limited to 27 games last year. As the former Laker looks for a new home, a contending team might be wise to take a gamble on him. The injury concerns are still there, but Bradley would help improve any team’s shooting efforts and any potential defensive concerns.</p>
<p>One such team that could sign Bradley is the Dallas Mavericks. They traded away their starting shooting guard this offseason in Josh Richardson, and while bringing in Bradley does not fill that void on impact, he would be an experienced guard to bring into the mix. Bradley would fit perfectly next to Luka Doncic due to his 3-and-D skills, and he could give the team some added guard depth as they look to make some noise in the Western Conference next season.</p>
<h3>Potential Landing Spot: Dallas Mavericks</h3>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/03/lakers-unsigned-nba-free-agency/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Isaiah Thomas </a>
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<img class="wp-image-435016 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/03/lakers-unsigned-nba-free-agency/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1066,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F929273284.jpeg" alt="Los Angeles Lakers: Isaiah Thomas" width="1600" height="1066" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/929273284.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/929273284-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 14 (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Los Angeles Lakers: Isaiah Thomas remains unsigned in NBA Free Agency</h2>
<p>Once viewed as an MVP candidate, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/03/lakers-unsigned-nba-free-agency/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/t/thomais02.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Isaiah Thomas</a> was no longer that player when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers at the 2018 trade deadline. Understandably so, as he was battling through an injury that has hindered him over the past several years, but the guard was not brought back for another year after appearing in 17 games with the team following that trade.</p>
<p>It has been tragic to see Thomas fall from All-Star status to being out of the league entirely in the modern-day as he continues pushing for an NBA comeback. While he is no longer the lethal scoring guard that averaged 30 points per game with the Celtics back in the day, Thomas could reasonably be a double-digit scorer off the bench if given another chance. Health has been the biggest issue for him, and after playing in just three games this past season courtesy of a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, Thomas should be refreshed.</p>
<p>When it comes to potential suitors, it appeared for quite some time that the Lakers might be the team to sign him. Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/09/03/lakers-unsigned-nba-free-agency/"https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-lakers-worked-out-isaiah-thomas-darren-collison-and-mike-james-for-potential-roster-spot-232448663.html?%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently reported that the team held a workout for Thomas as they looked to add a backup point guard,</a> which would have been interesting. Instead, it seems like they will move on from a potential Thomas reunion after the recent Rondo news.</p>
<p>Other teams that could be interested in Thomas are contenders left without any financial flexibility to this point and still need some guard depth. One suitor that could make sense as a potential destination is the Brooklyn Nets. They boast arguably the NBA’s best backcourt in Kyrie Irving and James Harden but lack relatively any depth behind them. Thomas would be a cheap option to add as a backup ball-handler and give the team some experience as they will be at the forefront of contention next season.</p>
<h3>Potential Landing Spot: Brooklyn Nets</h3>
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