The Los Angeles Lakers waived Christian Wood to facilitate the signing of former Sacramento Kings center Alex Len. Len was available on the market after being waived by the Washington Wizards, initially signing a deal with the Indiana Pacers before that fell through and he joined the Lakers.
With Len on the roster, the Lakers will hope they have enough center-play across their roster to make it through this season. Now, they have to look to put the finishing touches on a roster that's gone 9-1 in their last 10 games and officially welcomed Luka Doncic to the roster after he made his debut.
The Lakers will have to waive another player to create a roster spot. This likely will be Cam Reddish, who returned to the franchise after the Mark Williams trade was rescinded. But who could the Lakers target as their final roster signing of the season? Let's look at the three best candidates right now.
Jordan Goodwin
Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jordan Goodwin is already on the Lakers roster, signing a two-way contract with the franchise to provide backup guard play. He has shined in limited minutes with the Lakers, averaging 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in two games off the bench. He's an active defender who's showing his expanding offensive range in the limited minutes he's gotten this season.
The Lakers have few guards on their roster, with two of them being starters Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Gabe Vincent is the only guard off the bench who can be relied upon for minutes, although he's been offensively inconsistent all year. Shake Milton can't be relied upon for a contending franchise, while Dalton Knecht is technically a guard but isn't an on-ball asset.
Goodwin would fit nicely into the Lakers' rotation of guards, potentially even being a more productive option than Vincent. He's 6'6" and a defensive ace, so if his jumper is reliable, there's no reason for the Lakers to not convert his two-way into a full-time deal closer to the end of the season for apron reasons.
Markelle Fultz
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If the Lakers aren't satisfied with Goodwin as their final roster spot acquisition, they could look elsewhere around the guard market for an answer. Markelle Fultz has been a free agent all season and will be chomping at the bit to prove to the NBA he can still be a productive player. He averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season with the Orlando Magic.
Fultz isn't a great shooter which is probably why he's been on the market for the entire season. However, he is a capable playmaker and backup ball-handler with great defensive instincts. The Lakers could use an option like him off the bench as a replacement for Luka, providing playmaking and defense in spades.
The offensive production might be questionable, but Fultz can score in a number of ways. His talent and versatility have been severely underrated because of his shooting struggles. If he gets another chance, he will likely be a productive player. If the Lakers want to alter their ceiling, they would take a low-risk chance on someone like Fultz.
Marcus Morris Sr.
Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Let's reunite the twins. Marcus Morris Sr. has been a free agent all season after spending the last 13 seasons in the NBA. A gap year for the 35-year-old forward might lead to the end of his NBA-playing hopes, but the Lakers could offer him a life-raft into a final shot at extending his NBA career.
Marcus Morris averaged 6.4 points and 2.7 rebounds last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, looking like he's past his best self. However, he does have a lot to provide as a 3-and-D forward or small-ball center. He's still an aggressive defender who can stretch the floor, making him a potential option for the Lakers frontcourt to reduce the load on their primary rotation.
Morris likely won't impact their winning hopes as much as the first two options but would be a great addition. He adds toughness to the bench and is a notorious career rival of Doncic, giving the guard a lot of motivation even in training. Marcus and Markieff Morris being teammates would be a nice story as well, but Marcus might still be more playable than his twin brother. It just depends on the right opportunity.
