NBA CEO thinks owner Paisley fits in with the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers’ swap deal for Kyrie Irving is no longer a sure thing. The team has essentially stopped building the roster while balancing their trading options, but Irving is now likely to stay with the Brooklyn Nets. If that happens, the Lakers will have to figure out other ways to improve their roster.

It won’t be easy with flexibility and limited money. The team continues to evaluate Russell Westbrook’s business options, but it’s not certain they’ll find a suitor. Finding bowlers would become a top priority for the Lakers if they were to move forward with their former best player. Heavy.com’s Sean Daveney spoke to a Western Conference executive who believes Los Angeles may need to consider Utah Jazz as a potential business partner.

“They need to shoot. If you don’t get Kyrie, you need to shoot. If you get Kyrie, you need to shoot,” the CEO said. “So they keep their options open for that. They’ve asked for Eric Gordon but don’t have the chops to get him, not now, at least, as he’s been playing rockin’ on him for some reason. But I think Malik Beasley is the guy they should be looking for if they can get it from Utah. They asked about him when he was in Minnesota, and now they can try to put him in a situation that Utah doesn’t want him in. The Jazz want the picks so the Lakers will have to give up one of their picks, but it’s within their range.”

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Beasley comes from Down Season

Beasley would be an interesting player to target this off season. Its value should be very low compared to previous seasons. After averaging over 19 game points in consecutive years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 25-year-old came back to Earth last season.

It dropped to just 12.1 points per game and saw it drop by 3 points to 37.7%. However, he still hits 38.6% of his triples during his career, which is solid and would be a promotion for the Lakers. He’s earning $15 million a year next season, so L.A. will only need to send Tallinn Horton Tucker and Kendrick Noone to make the money. Adding picks to the package can be a steep price tag for a goalkeeper coming off a disappointing season.

Jeremy Lamb could be a free agent target

If the Lakers don’t like their options to trade, there are still free agents available. CEO Jeremy Lamb named him a potential fit.

“Perhaps the best option in free agency is to try Jeremy Lamb,” the CEO said. “He’s had some bad years but he still has a good shot, it’s not enough. He just needs to get some consistent minutes and he can be effective.”

Lamb recently played for the Sacramento Kings where he only made 30.2% of three-pointers in 17 games. He’s just a 34.2 percent shooting career, but he’s just a season removed from a year he hit 40.6% of his threes. It’s not a sure bet but it might be worth a try as there are no great options.

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