Lakers News: LA Snoozes On Another Big-Name Buyout Market Signing

Was he worth a gander?

When the post-trade deadline buyout market began opening up last week, your Los Angeles Lakers pounced fairly early. 

LA snagged one of the top prospects in Spencer Dinwiddie, the former Brooklyn Nets combo guard who was shockingly cut by the Toronto Raptors upon being traded there at the deadline.

Although there has been, well, scuttlebutt that the Lakers front office isn't finished making new additions on the buyout market, the club has been remarkably quiet on that front in the intervening week, as several intriguing pieces have been claimed elsewhere.

Sharpshooting stretch four/combo forward Danilo Gallinari, now in the buyout market phase of his lengthy pro career at age 35, is just the latest such name. 

His agent Michael Tellem of Excel Basketball has informed Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that the 6'10" vet has agreed to terms on a prorated, rest-of-year veteran's minimum deal to help out the newly struggling Milwaukee Bucks.

Gallinari has already logged time with two other (albeit lottery-bound) Eastern Conference clubs, the Washington Wizards and the Detroit Pistons.

Across 32 contests with the Pistons and Wizards this year, Gallinari is averaging 7.3 points on .451/.355/.850 shooting splits, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists, far cries from his career averages of 15.2 points on .428/.382/.876 shooting splits, 4.7 boards and 1.9 dimes. He missed the entire 2022-23 season with a torn ACL.

So did shooting-challenged Los Angeles whiff by not adding a career 38.2% shooter from long range, who averages five triple tries a game?

Maybe. But the team actually has a fairly deep frontcourt when healthy, and Gallinari essentially would have been competing with the younger, more athletic, more versatile Christian Wood for fourth big man honors behind All-Stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James and reserve Jarred Vanderbilt. Starter Rui Hachimura plays a lot of small forward offensively and power forward defensively. Gallinari no longer has the foot speed to really play much small forward, a position of some need with Cam Reddish unable to hit the broad side of the barn (although 3-and-D backup Taurean Prince is thoroughly competent).

LA could use more of a defensive-oriented wing at this stage. There may still be some who will hit the market later.