There has been plenty of speculation regarding which free agent the Los Angeles Lakers will look to add to their roster during the 2019-20 NBA season.
Among the notable names that have picked up steam is Dion Waiters, who had been a part of the Andre Iguodala trade to the Miami Heat before he was subsequently waived.
It is no secret the Lakers are in need of some quality depth in their backcourt. As a result, they have already been in contact with Waiters.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN said on The Hoop Collective podcast that Los Angeles will likely hold a workout for him before making their decision as transcribed by RealGM:
“I don’t know if Dion Waiters is an answer,” Windhorst said. “They’re going to give Dion a look. They had a meeting with him last week. I expect they will have a workout with him in the short-term and see what kind of condition he’s in. They’re mulling it over and it’s because they need some sort of perimeter player who can score a little bit.”
Windhorst added that Waiters will need to make a solid impression on LeBron James if he hopes to get the nod:
“Dion doesn’t just have to convince the Lakers. He has to convince LeBron (James),” said Windhorst.
Waiters’ unceremonious departure from the Heat had been attributed to a number of incidents that included being suspended for conduct detrimental to the team. This has raised questions about whether or not this will factor into the team’s willingness to experiment with the strong chemistry they have established this season.
The prospect of James having a say in which player the Lakers bring on is hardly far-fetched. This has seemingly helped J.R. Smith be pegged as another potential option given their history of success together.
Waiters had also spent some time with James early in his career when he was still finding his footing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite his promise, he was ultimately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a deal that landed the Cavaliers some integral pieces to their championship run.
Although Waiters has fallen on rough times, he is still a former top-five pick in the prime of his career and the Lakers are in desperate need of some more firepower. While he may be carrying some baggage at this point in his career, linking up with a bonafide championship contender could serve as the foundation for a potential resurgence.