Lakers News: Free Agent Former Top Draft Picks Pitches Himself for LA

The free-agent guard thinks he could help the Lakers in their pursuit in winning an NBA Championship.

Feb 9, 2022; Portland, Oregon, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) shoots over Portland Trail Blazers guard Dennis Smith Jr. (10) in the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images / Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are still looking for some help as we get closer to the trade deadline. They still have some moves to make via a trade. They continue to hover towards the bottom of the playoff picture, currently sitting at seventh in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles is looking for help at multiple positions. They have a lot of options because of some trade-friendly contracts that they have on the roster. Players like D'Angelo Russell, Jared Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura all have mid-level contracts that are perfect for making trades.

One current free agent in the league doesn't think that the team needs to make a trade to make a run at the NBA title. Instead, he thinks they just need to sign him. He thinks he can be the missing piece that turns this team into a true title contender by the time the season ends.

That free agent is Dennis Smith Jr. Smith Jr. The last season he spent in the NBA was in 2023-24 with the Brooklyn Nets. When asked what teams he thought he could be of the most help to, he mentioned the Lakers could use his help the month.

“Everybody can use a dawg,” Smith said. “I be thinking the Spurs, you know, because they in the mix right now. I think the Spurs, Minnesota, Miami, obviously… You don’t even know all the work I’ve been putting in the summer, but if we went just off what I was doing last year, like, I think I could come in and make a real contribution, or the Lakers, too. The Lakers as well.”

Smith Jr. is someone who likes to attack the rim with ferocity. He has never been a great shooter, which is what the Lakers actually need in the backcourt. It doesn't seem like Smith Jr. would be a good fit in LA, although he seems to think the contrary.

The Lakers need to make at least one move to improve the depth of the team. It doesn't look like they are going to go after a star in a trade, but they can improve around the margins. That might be good enough for them to make a run once they make the playoffs.

All of this is contingent on both LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy once April rolls around.

More Lakers news: Blockbuster Trade Idea Could Bring $76 Million Guard to Lakers