The Los Angeles Lakers have had a solid start to the NBA offseason. Rob Pelinka has made two outside moves to bring in talent, signing both Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton to begin NBA free agency.
While those two additions are quality moves, more needs to be done. One area the Lakers should look to add talent is off the bench at the guard position.
Bringing in a player who can defend on the perimeter would be much needed. With that in mind, Los Angeles has now been connected to an intriguing potential trade with the Chicago Bulls.
According to a report from Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints, the Lakers have had preliminary discussions with the Bulls regarding talented guard Ayo Dosunmu.
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In addition to Dosunmu, Irwin connected Los Angeles to both Matisse Thybulle and Marcus Smart.
“Sources say Matisse Thybulle, Marcus Smart (though most teams are watching to see if he’s going to be bought out), Ayo Dosunmu and others are names the Lakers have had preliminary conversations with teams about availability and price, though no offers have been made,” Irwin wrote.
Dosunmu would be a very intriguing addition for the Lakers. He’s capable of scoring the basketball, can create for teammates, and is good defensively as well.
During the 2024-25 NBA season with Chicago, Dosunmu played in 46 games and made 26 starts. He averaged 12.3 points per game, while also chipping in 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.9 steals. Dosunmu shot 49.2 percent from the floor and 32.8 percent from distance.
At 25 years old, Dosunmu will be heading into the final season of his current contract. That would give Los Angeles one year to decide what they think of the young guard before deciding on his future.
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Pelinka adding Dosunmu to come off of the bench would give the Lakers quality depth. He still has room to continue developing his game and improving as well.
Out of the three potential options mentioned by Irwin, Dosunmu would provide the most upside by far. Both Smart and Thybulle would be decent depth, but they don’t have as high of a ceiling.
Expect to continue hearing rumors surrounding Los Angeles. The Lakers have improved some this offseason, but in order to become a championship contender Los Angeles has more that needs to be done.
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