The Los Angeles Lakers are closing in on winning the 2019-20 NBA Finals and are currently up 2-0 in the series against the Miami Heat. However, even if they win the championship, they will be looking to improve their roster this offseason. Victor Oladipo could be a name to watch.
According to a report from Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Heavy, the Lakers have “slight interest” in trading for the Pacers’ star.
I think there’s slight interest but it also depends on what the mathematics look like in free agency and the number figure with Anthony Davis.
And whether the Lakers actually want to trade Kyle Kuzma in the offseason.
Oladipo would certainly be an intriguing fit for the Lakers. There are still some concerns about his health coming off of a ruptured quad injury. He came back in the regular season and looked decent, but was not his old self.
In the 19 regular season game he played with the Pacers, Oladipo averaged 14.5 points per game to go along with 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists. He played in four playoff games as well, averaging 17.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
While there are definitely still concerns about Oladipo, the Lakers should not allow those concerns to make them shy away from him. Oladipo is a hard worker and there is no question that his body looked better in the bubble.
At 28 years old, Oladipo recently made it clear that he wants to win championships. He also has a good relationship with LeBron James. A “Big Three” of James, Anthony Davis, and Oladipo would be lethal.
Should the Lakers look to pursue Oladipo, it seems likely that Kuzma would be the return for the Pacers. That would be the centerpiece of the deal. Depending on what else Indiana would want, the Lakers should strongly consider that trade.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what ends up happening with Victor Oladipo this offseason. The Lakers are a team to watch, but there are a handful of other teams expected to have interest in him.