Los Angeles Lakers Could Make a Push for Donte DiVincenzo – Western Conference GM
- Planet Sport writer
- 19 July 2023
LA Lakers want to achieve championship-caliber status as soon as they can. However, they’ll need one or two more role players to accomplish that feat.
Besides choosing who they bring onto their squad, the Lakers will likely lose at least one key contributor from their current squad.
D'Angelo Russel, Austin Reaves, Dennis Schroder, and Lonnie Walker - perhaps their four most crucial guards - will be free agents this offseason. Besides, Rui Hachimura will be a restricted free agent this summer, and Malik Beasley has a team option on his contract for the next season.
Should Reaves or Hachimura sign elsewhere, the Lakers could be seeking replacements. Although Los Angeles can match any contract offers they receive from the duo. Hachimura recently declared he likes playing on the Lakers' jersey. However, he didn't clarify if he chose to return.
During Los Angeles' 2020 run to the championship, the Lakers had six different players shoot better than 37 percent from three-point range while averaging more than one attempt per playoff match. However, in the last postseason, only Lonnie Walker IV, Reaves, and Hachimura hit the mark.
History shows that placing more shooters around Davis and James would work. That brings the 26-year-old Golden State Warriors point guard Donte DiVincenzo under the spotlight. Incidentally, at least one rival executive believes the Lakers are on the lookout for DiVincenzo.
During an interview with Heavy Sports NBA Insider Sean Deveney, a Western Conference spotlighted DiVincenzo as an exciting target for the Lakers.
By getting Donte DiVincenzo onto the Lakers, the team could take the rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors a step further into free agency this offseason. At 6-foot-4, DiVincenzo might not be a true wing, but he's a top 3-point shooter who can also handle the ball well. During the regular season, he shot 39.7% from 3-point range during the regular season for the Warriors.
Los Angeles Lakers head coaches have closely observed the 26-year-old during their second-round playoff win against the Golden State Warriors. DiVincenzo averaged 6.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in six games during the series while recording 19.3 minutes per contest.
The Los Angeles Lakers are constantly on the lookout for revolutionary moves to strengthen their roster. Today, every fan can find out more information about basketball predictions on the Mightytips NBA betting sites because in the ever-changing NBA landscape, the only player who can potentially fit the bill is Donte Di Vincenzo. His playing time shows he has been a key player for the Warriors, and signing with the Lakers will leave a gap for their in-state rivals to fill. Besides, if DiVincenzo decides to become a free agent, the Warriors won't be able to afford him.
Moreover, DiVincenzo has championship experience. He was a key starter on the Milwaukee Bucks squad that clinched the title two years back. At the Warriors, the Donte DiVincenzo contract has a player option for the next season. He can decline to become a free agent this summer.
However, General Manager thinks that whether or not the Lakers go for DiVincenzo or any other outside player depends on their potential squad next season. Should the club let go of some of their current players, like Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, a move for DiVincenzo might be more probable.
Depending on who stays or leaves to suit the team's purse, the Lakers coach could go for a shooter off the bench to beef up the team. With an average of 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season and shooting just below 40 percent from beyond the arc, DiVincenzo checks the boxes.
Besides the possibility of losing one or more of their four important guards, there are speculations around LeBron James' status in the next season. He had hinted at retirement after the Lakers Western Conference last season run saw them lose against Denver Nuggets at the Finals. The top athlete is yet to definitively say if he'll be back next season.
LeBron James, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, says he wants to consider whether he'll continue playing. However, most pundits think we'll see him in the Lakers' shirt after the summer. Once the question of whether LeBron James will play next season is answered, the team must go on to build a competitive roster.
Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is reportedly seeking a reunion with James. However, it seems he would prefer that plays out at the Dallas Mavericks. Although unlikely, if Irving joins the Lakers, that could change the prospects for DiVincenzo with Los Angeles.
These are some potential game-changing moves the Lakers' offseason could make this summer. And DiVincenzo is a vital part of the game.
