The Los Angeles Lakers should have alternative route in case they missed out on Kevin Durant this summer. Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders named Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside and Harrison Barnes as the two incoming free-agents the Lakers should pursue this offseason.
-To make things clear, the Lakers must go 'all-in' in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. The Oklahoma City superstar is easily the best talent available in the free-agency class of 2016 and a perfect heir to retiring Kobe Bryant as the face of the organization. Unfortunately, the Lakers should also take into consideration their chance of landing the marquee free-agent - it's bleak.
-Kennedy believes a defensive force in 26-year old Whiteside and a budding star in 23-year old Barnes are what the Lakers need the most. Whiteside, who is putting up 13.3 ppg, 11.7 rpg, and 3.9 bpg , will instantly fill a huge void at the heart of the Lakers defense. Barnes, meanwhile, is ready to take his career to another level, outside the shadows of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in Golden State.
These talents will mesh well with the Lakers young core (Jordan Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle), giving them a young and dynamic team with all the potential of turning into a contender in 2 or 3 years.
"The player I think is most interesting for Los Angeles is Hassan Whiteside, who will be an unrestricted free agent. Whiteside is only 26 years old and he would greatly improve the Lakers' defense while also complementing Randle well. I think he's the guy L.A. should pursue the hardest."
-The Lakers will have the biggest salary space heading this summer with the contracts of Kobe Bryant ($25MM) and Roy Hibbert ($15MM) going off the books and a sharp jump in salary cap (thanks to multi-billion TV deal). In short, the Lakers will have the buying power to go at Kevin Durant, LeBron James, DeMar DeRozan, Al Horford and even Whiteside.
Salary Cap expert Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders noted the Lakers have the capacity to absorb Kevin Durant's $25 million per year contract and sign another free-agent of the same price range.