If the Los Angeles Lakers are to fulfill their dream of winning the NBA Championship, they must make improvements. This Lakers team isn’t good enough as it stands right now to defeat the NBA’s elite teams.
In light of this, the Lakers have emerged as one of the clubs to watch closely as the trade deadline draws near. Los Angeles ought to act at the deadline even if they don’t make a major deal akin to that of Russell Westbrook.
But it’s not just about trading. The Lakers presently have 14 players on their active roster, but more spots may become available based on what transpires at the trade deadline. Los Angeles will keep an eye out for veterans who can provide a backup rotation presence in the buyout market.
The purple and gold have two new names to keep an eye on as possible buyout targets: Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala, thanks to a deal between the Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards on Sunday.
After being traded to the Pistons, Danilo Gallinari or Mike Muscala may be the subject of a Lakers buyout.
Marvin Bagley III, the star of the deal, will move to Washington to attempt to restart his career. The goal of this transaction was to remove Bagley’s contract from the books, thus Detroit even had to exchange second-round choices in addition to Bagley to make it happen.
The Pistons have no real need to retain Muscala and Gallinari around for the remainder of the season because their contracts are about to expire. In order to give the Pistons an opportunity to attempt and move both veterans for one or more second-round picks, Detroit will initially keep both veterans on the team and see if they can improve their season. That is unlikely to occur, and the two being bought out is the most likely scenario.
Given their similar situations, Gallinari and Muscala may be difficult to choose if the Lakers have the choice. Both are seasoned three-point shooters who have had a great deal of difficulty this season behind the arc. But when they aren’t playing for a terrible team like the Wizards, either veteran should be able to turn things around based on their past performance.
Both players would be capable small-ball options in the frontcourt, but Muscala may be a better logistical fit because to his greater experience at the five position. When healthy, Muscala and Gallinari can each contribute 12–14 minutes off the bench as off-ball threats who can make some three-pointers.
As previously stated, while this year’s numbers are poor, both players have shown that they are capable sharpshooters. Prior to the 2023–24 season, Gallinari had shot 40.8% from three point range during his previous four seasons. His lifetime three-point percentage was 38.1%. Before the 2023–24 season, Muscala shot 39.1% in his previous four seasons, despite his career shooting percentage of 37.5%.
This Lakers squad is in dire need of shooting off the bench, even if that is all they add. If some players—like Rui Hachimura—are traded before the deadline, that requirement might rise.
