The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to make the point guard position a priority this offseason. Things suffered last year with veteran Steve Nash in and out of the lineup and while he is under contract for one more year, the Lakers need to bring in a quality player incase he is unable to get healthy enough to play. Nash has played just handful of games over the past two seasons leaving the Lakers to target a few players this offseason.
According to Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders is reporting Kyle Lowry is the ideal fit for the Lakers. Currently entering free agency after a break-out year with the Toronto Raptors, Lowry is in for a nice pay day wherever he signs and the Lakers will make the push. The 28-year-old averaged 17.9 points per game and 7.4 assists while playing 36.2 minutes per game. That would be a huge upgrade for the Lakers no matter what. Considering the Lakers are depending on an 18-year veteran with a bad history of injuries, Lowry will be a priority come July 1.
The Lakers need a backup plan should the Raptors win out and re-sign the point guard. Davis continues his report saying the Lakers might make a run at Lowry's backup, Greivis Vasquez, will be a solid Plan B. Vasquez is currently begging Toronto to re-sign him, noting he will be "heart broken" if he does not return. However, if Lowry gets a new contract, it is likely Vasquez will be the odd man out in the end.
Vasquez is an excellent point guard option should Lowry or even players like Rajon Rondo or Eric Bledsoe not be available. He shoots 34.5 percent from the three-point line, he is a strong defender while averaging 9.0 assists his last time as a full-time starter. He is set to be a restricted free agent so the Raptors could match any offer, but they will likely pass on that if they can re-sign Lowry instead. Vasquez put up 9.7 points and 4.1 assists during the regular season and upped his game to 10.1 points and 5.1 assists in the postseason.
The Lakers have a solid amount of draft picks this season and will likely draft a point guard at some point. Tyler Ennis is reportedly a favorite, but might be gone by the time Los Angeles makes a draft pick. The Lakers will also look at Marcus Smart and Shabazz Napier as options. Nash will have his minutes severely limited this season in hopes that maybe he can play a little longer, but having a quality option to rotate with him will be very important for Los Angeles.
