Free agency is set to begin in just a couple of days, and the Los Angeles Lakers plan to be extremely busy in chasing names to add to their promising young core. The Lakers have been linked to a number of different players including Hassan Whiteside and Al Horford.
Another intriguing veteran who is an unrestricted free agent is Ryan Anderson, who has long been the prototypical ‘stretch-four’ in the NBA. The eight-year veteran will surely be highly sought after this off-season and according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, the Lakers are one of many teams who have him high on their list:
There is no shortage of suitors for Ryan Anderson. It’s believed that Anderson is one of the top names for the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings.
Anderson has long been revered as one of the best shooting big men in the NBA. He is also able to hold his own on the glass and has been one of the best bench scorers in the league for a long time. He has spent the last four years in New Orleans where he averaged about 16 points and six rebounds while shooting 37 percent from three-point range.
At 28 years old, Anderson is young enough to fit in with this Lakers team, but could also serve as a much-needed veteran to this young core. Anderson’s shooting would also serve as a boost to a Lakers team that was dead last in three-point percentage last season.
Kyler did add that Anderson would reportedly prefer to join a playoff team, and that would certainly hurt the Lakers’ chances if true. However, the Lakers will have a lot of money to spend this summer and adding someone like Anderson could be a smart move in the long run.