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Although the Los Angeles Lakers now appear to have a strong roster with improved depth, many agree they still need one or two two-way guards or wings to truly become championship contenders. They’re set to add Marcus Smart, who has long been one of the NBA’s best defensive guards, but he is a below-average 3-point shooter and thus cannot be considered a true two-way player.
According to multiple reports, the Lakers have been working the phones this summer, looking to make a trade in order to land a 3-and-D player. According to ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel, they talked to the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves about acquiring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Donte DiVincenzo, respectively.
Caldwell-Pope, of course, was a key role player for Los Angeles not too long ago. He came to the team as a free agent in 2017 and emerged as a 3-point sniper and a solid team defender. He was an important member of the squad when it won the NBA championship in 2020.
He was shipped out in the 2021 trade that brought L.A. Russell Westbrook, and he went on to win another ring with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. The Orlando Magic traded him to Memphis last month in order to obtain Desmond Bane, and at age 32, Caldwell-Pope remains a viable complementary piece.
DiVincenzo, 28, won a world title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 and spent this past season with Minnesota after the New York Knicks sent him there in early October. He averaged 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals a game while hitting 39.7% from 3-point range for a Timberwolves team that reached the Western Conference finals for the second year in a row.
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