Lakers News: Top 5 Suns Free Agents For Los Angeles
Your Los Angeles Lakers face some huge decisions this summer when it comes to roster building, with several free agents among their young role players.
When it comes to tonight's opposition, the Phoenix Suns, there are plenty of interesting free agent prospects beyond Phoenix's top four, all under contract through next season.
5. T.J. Warren
Warren gets hurt all the time. He played in just four games between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Though he had been a solid starter for the Indiana Pacers when healthy, the ailments have dimmed his production since his return. He's still a useful combo forward, but only at the veteran's minimum.
4. Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo has always been an athletic, shot-blocking menace who can clean the glass and patrol the paint, but he's never developed much of an offensive portfolio. He was almost out of the league before he carved out a little niche for Phoenix as a useful bench piece. He's worth a gander for the veteran's minimum. Monty Williams often toggles between Biyombo and our next top free agent prospect as his primary Deandre Ayton backup choice. Biyombo has less upside.
3. Jock Landale
Landale has been surprisingly solid for the Suns as a high-motor big with versatile defensive ability. He's a restricted free agent this summer, which is a bit more prohibitive than all the other free agents on this list, but because the Suns are shelling out top dollar for their top players, and may balk if another team offers him money above a certain number. The 27-year-old center is on the second season of a minimum salary deal he inked with the Spurs as a rookie before last season, and will be looking to cash in. He could be worth a look from LA at the right price as an upgrade over the Wenyen Gabriel/Mo Bamba backup five spot.
2. Damion Lee
Stephen Curry's brother-in-law has emerged as a really critical bench shooting piece for Phoenix all year, far outperforming his current veteran's minimum deal. The 30-year-old may have peaked already in the league, but he has one very, very marketable skill that the long range-challenged Lakers lack: he's one of the NBA's top three-point shooters. Lee is making 45% of his 3.4 triples a night, across just 20.2 minutes per. He's not the defender or volume shooter that Malik Beasley (the guy he'd probably replace on LA's roster) is, but his sharpshooting acumen makes him worth a look. He could also be had for much less than Beasley's $16.5 million team option next summer.
1. Josh Okogie
The defense-first small forward snuck into the Suns' starting five, though many pundits (yours truly included) believed that Warren or Ross, not Okogie, would earn that starting gig alongside the other very starry starters -- Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. Still just 24, Okogie is about to get paid this summer, and he may just be too much for the Suns' coffers. The team may also prefer to get a more proven scorer. The Lakers desperately need help on the wing defensively, and Okogie, capable of guarding point guard through small forward, gives them that in droves.
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