Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Knight Should Be A Target
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ season on the court is effectively over. Kobe Bryant is out for the year, the team is working on securing a bottom-five record for draft purposes, and Byron Scott has now shifted to a starting lineup that would be borderline unwatchable if it weren’t for the investment in the point guard development of Jordan Clarkson.
That turns most fans’ attention to the trade deadline, and one of the biggest prizes of this calendar year: Free Agency 2015.
There are some big names out there; Marc Gasol, Rajon Rondo, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Monroe, among others. Any of these would be a welcome addition to the Lakers rebuild, and it’s certain that the team will do its due diligence on all of them. Landing one is unlikely, but the team needs talent, and the big names will be the first pieces to fall into place.
However, one name that the Lakers should be thinking about is not in the group. In fact, he’s just now bursting onto the scene as a true star, and will be a restricted free agent coming off his rookie deal.
The name? Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Knight.
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Aside from his individual statistics, Knight has done something absolutely remarkable. Through his fantastic play, he’s been a major contributor to making the Milwaukee Bucks (the same team that went 15-67 last season) a playoff contender in the improved Eastern Conference. Without rookie sensation Jabari Parker, Knight is unquestionably the most talented player on the 22-22 squad, and he’s leading his team each game as their best performer.
For the Lakers, offering Brandon Knight a deal (2014-15 maximum salary for players with 0-6 years of experience was around $14.7 million) makes a ton of sense. He instantly would step in as the best point guard the Lakers have had in decades. Despite the promising rookie on the roster in Jordan Clarkson, grabbing a player that would be a young potential star for years to come is a no-brainer.
Scoring is certainly something that Brandon Knight can bring to the roster. He’s putting up 18.1 points per game on a Bucks roster filled with career role players. The active second-leading scorer on the squad is second-year man Giannis Antetokounmpo with an average of 11.6 points per game, so it’s clear he’s not exactly playing on the most high-octane offense known to man.
Putting him in a Laker uniform and pairing him with Julius Randle for the foreseeable future is certainly a viable foundation for a rebuild.
Defensively might be where Brandon Knight has improved most this year, and it shows in the Bucks’ third-best scoring defense. Milwaukee has truly been one of the surprisingly tough matchups in the league this year, and do quite well against the point guard position. Aside from his solid defense, Knight’s steal rate has gone up, and it’s evident in his 1.6 steals per game average.
When it comes down to it, signing Brandon Knight may not be a splashy, sexy move by the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. However, he’s going to be available, and they certainly could put forth a compelling bid and force the Bucks to match an offer. He could just be a key piece for the Lakers to begin their rebuild forward in earnest.