Los Angeles Lakers: 5 free agents L.A. could regret not signing

4. Jimmy Butler

If the Lakers didn’t land Kawhi Leonard, then Jimmy Butler would’ve been a great fallback option.

The four-time All-Star and four-time All-Defensive Team pick is just a notch below Leonard as a physically strong and mentally tough wing player who can score 25 points and give you lock-down defense on the same night.

Butler averaged 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game last season, splitting time between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers. In the playoffs with the Sixers, Butler put up 19.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game, helping Philly make it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost on a buzzer-beater to Leonard and the Raptors.

Over the last couple of years, Butler has gained a reputation as a potentially divisive presence in the locker room. His stints with the Chicago Bulls and the Wolves did not end well amid reports of Butler clashing with teammates and coaches.

That didn’t seem to get in the way of Butler being pursued by a lot of teams with a lot of money in free agency, and on Sunday it was reported that he will be going to the Miami Heat in another sign-and-trade deal (once the two teams find a third team to loop in and complete the deal).

In Miami, Butler should assume the role as No. 1 guy for a team that could make some noise in the East. However, having Butler as the No. 3 guy for the Lakers would’ve made for a championship-level entity.