The Los Angeles Lakers are believed to be still on the prowl for a point guard. However, their options have now shrunk with only free agents and buyout candidates to choose from. They missed out on Reggie Jackson due to business reasons but players like Isaiah Thomas could be worth looking into.
The 31-year-old is one of the curious free agents right now. He was traded by the Washington Wizards to the Los Angeles Clippers but was waived not long after. As of this writing, no team has come close to adding the 5-foot-9 guard. The Boston Celtics were listed as a potential destination but team president Danny Ainge said he preferred getting a solid big guy instead when he spoke on Touch and Rich. That is if there is such a player available in the market.
As far as the Lakers are concerned, there is no denying Thomas could be that playmaker they are looking for. I.T. has been known to lead teams in the past, even taking over during crunch time. But most of that happened before he underwent hip surgery back in 2017. Things have just not been the same for him, having played for five different teams after that.
With the Wizards, Thomas played in 40 games and averaged 12.2 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per Basketball-Reference.com. These are numbers way below his career averages of 18.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists. He has been struggling since leaving the Celtics, failing to play more than 40 games since then. On whether he will get to chance to still prove he can play is now up in the air.
For the Lakers, adding Thomas could help. However, the 31-year-old guard may not be the actual playmaker that head coach Frank Vogel needs. Also, he could be a liability to the Lakers because of his 5-foot-9 frame. He may have trouble defending taller guards and this could open up new problems for the purple and gold, Fansided reported.
If the Lakers are determined to get a point guard, Thomas could be the guy they need. They have explored Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith but the two hardly fit into the category of a point guard. If not Thomas, the Lakers may just consider getting some other player and let LeBron James carry on playmaking duties for the 2019-20 NBA season. If not now, the best general manager Rob Pelinka can do is hope that a quality point guard becomes available this summer.
