The Lakers made only one trade on Thursday, sending Gabe Vincent to the Hawks for Luke Kennard. With the deadline now in the past, the only way to add players is through the buyout market.
Luckily, Los Angeles has an open roster spot, giving them the flexibility to add someone. The Lakers often keep a roster spot open for this exact scenario.
Which players will get waived and be available is still unknown, but there are already a handful of names that make sense. Here are five players the Lakers should pursue if they become available.
Moments after the deadline, the Nets made the surprising move of waiving Thomas, making him arguably the top name on the buyout market.
Thomas provides size, youth and scoring ability for the Lakers. He is averaging 15.6 points and 3.1 assists per game. There likely won’t be a better pure scorer on the market and with the Lakers struggling to get production on the bench, it could make sense to sign Thomas.
It took over 14 years, but Chris Paul could finally become a Laker. The Clippers abruptly sent Paul home early this season, ending the world’s worst retirement tour. He was then traded to the Raptors, but will reportedly not be required to join the team.
Paul didn’t get traded again, so he likely will be bought out, allowing him to end his career with the team of his choosing.
Paul has a well-known relationship with LeBron James but also with head coach JJ Redick as the pair played together on the Clippers during the Lob City era.
From the one who got away to circling back on a former player, here comes Lonzo Ball. He was recently traded from the Cavs to the Jazz, but Utah is expected to waive him.
Ball has battled injuries throughout his career and struggled this season in Cleveland, but he did average 7.6 points on 34.4% shooting from three in Chicago last season. Plus, he’s still a fan favorite.
Ball won’t have his jersey hanging in the rafters like Magic Johnson envisoned, but he could still contribute to the Lakers’ success if he returns.
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Conley was traded twice in as many days, eventually landing on the Hornets, who waived him after the deadline.
Conley’s on-court value is pretty limited at this point in his career. He was moved out of the starting lineup in Minnesota this season and averaged just 4.4 points on 32.1% shooting from three in 18.5 minutes this season.
He is, however, a respected veteran who could provide leadership off the bench for the rest of the season. The Lakers have had those types of players on the roster throughout the years, from Jared Dudley to Tristan Thompson to Markieff Morris.
With Vincent gone, the Lakers are lacking a former Heat guard with a questionable injury history. Perhaps, they can sign Highsmith to fill that void.
After being traded to the Nets last offseason, Highsmith underwent surgery on his knee, suffered a setback and has not played yet this season. Sound familiar?
The Nets eventually waived him on Thursday morning. He is reportedly playing 5-on-5 basketball again and is drawing interest from teams.
Last season as a member of the Heat, He averaged 6.5 points and shot 38% from 3-point range. It’s rare to get shooting that good via the buyout market, making Highsmith a compelling option…if he’s healthy.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
