LA Lakers are wasting no time in trying to improve their roster as they gear up for NBA title defense in 2020/21. After recently acquiring guard Dennis Schroder from Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers are now reportedly pursuing veteran Wesley Matthews.
According to NY Times’ Marc Stein, Matthews emerged as one of the Lakers’ top priorities in the free agency. The team believes he would be a great fit for their team, given his three-point ability while also filling the void left by Danny Green, who is going to Thunder as part of the deal for Schroder.
Matthews spent 2019/20 with Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 7.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 36.4 percent from the three-point arc. The 34-year-old player is a career 38.1 percent shooter from deep.
LA Lakers’ success in pursuing Wesley Matthews will depend on how much they are willing to spend on him. They currently have a $9.3 million mid-level exception at their disposal, but there is a sentiment that they want to split it among several players.
The Lakers will also have to compete with several teams for Matthews’ services. Milwaukee most definitely wants to keep him as part of their efforts to build around MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. At the same time, Matthews could also attract attention from other title contenders like Miami Heat.
