Lakers Rumors: Danny Green, Patrick Beverley Could Be Options If LA Can't Sign Max Free Agent

The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to create enough space under the salary cap to sign a max free agent to go along with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If L.A. is successful in clearing that room but unable to land one of the available All-Stars, they will still have $32.5 million to spend to improve the team.

Los Angeles needs to fill out the roster with guards that are good three-point shooters or above-average defenders. Several free agents stand out as possible fits for the Lakers.

Danny Green certainly fits that mold. He was an All-Defensive Second Team selection just two years ago. The shooting guard is set to hit the open market after shooting 45.5 percent from three-point range, which ranked second in the NBA.

Green made six threes in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals, helping the Toronto Raptors win their first-ever title. The two-time champion indicated in an interview with Power 105.1’s “The Breakfast Club” that he could leave the Raptors if Kawhi Leonard doesn’t re-sign.

“It depends on who else comes back to Toronto and who else goes to L.A,” Leonard said when asked what he would do if the Raptors and Lakers make him the same contract offer. “If Kawhi comes back and we have everybody coming back, then I’ll for sure come back to Toronto. But if they’re changing everything and I feel like it’s going to be a rebuild year, it’s going to be tougher to win there. And if L.A. starts getting pieces there and it looks like they’re going to win, then my decision might go that way.”

Green made $10 million last season. If the Lakers don’t sign a max free agent, they should be able to afford both Green and someone like Patrick Beverley, who earned a little over $5 million this past year.

Beverley is due for a raise after being a key player on the 48-win Los Angeles Clippers. The guard didn’t put up big numbers with averages of 7.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, but he was one of the league’s toughest defenders. The 30-year-old was even tasked with guarding Kevin Durant in the first round of the postseason.

Two years after being named a 2017 All-Defensive First Team selection, Beverley shot 39.7 percent from three-point range. He’s made at least 38.2 percent of his shots from behind the arc in four straight seasons, making him an ideal role player for the Lakers.

TMZ recently asked Beverley about the possibility of joining the Lakers. He indicated that he might go to the highest bidder this offseason.

Only the Phoenix Suns shot a lower percentage from three-point range than the Lakers in the 2018-2019 season.

Los Angeles finished 13th in defensive rating, though the Lakers ranked 26th in February and 19th in March when they fell out of playoff contention.