Indiana Pacers: 4 threats to pry Doug McDermott away from the team

Threat to sign Indiana Pacers’ Doug McDermott: Los Angeles Lakers

After cruising in the Bubble last season to win the championship, the Los Angeles Lakers failed to defend their title in eventful fashion after succumbing to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. With a bevy of health issues hampering stars and offensive problems plaguing the team, A LeBron James-led team lost in the first-round for the first time.

Despite possessing the league’s stingiest defense, the Lakers simply trotted out an anemic offense that ranked a paltry 24th in the league. They were deliberately slow with their personnel, but their lack of a reliable fallback option aside from James and the oft-injured Anthony Davis proved to be their downfall.

Unlike previous LeBron teams, their offense didn’t rely on pace and space, but on aggressive rim dives, post-ups and fast breaks off turnovers. As a result, they ranked 25th in three-point makes, 24th in attempts and a measly 21st in accuracy. As they were flirting with their elimination, it became clear that their plodding attack cannot be offset anymore by their excellent defense, especially in this offense-oriented league.

As it currently stands, the Lakers don’t have the room to sign Doug McDermott, by they can easily move some of their pieces, such as Kyle Kuzma, to make room for a better-fitting shooter who doesn’t make boneheaded plays. McDermott can certainly thrive next to LeBron in a Mike Miller-type role as a potent shooter who can punish defenders for doubling their stars.