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It isn’t uncommon for franchises to reunite with familiar faces years after cutting ties with them.
Regarding the Los Angeles Lakers, Lake Show Life’s Josh Cornelissen believes that when free agency begins, the franchise could reunite with a former Philadelphia 76ers forward seven years after trading him.
“(Isaac) Bonga has caught the eye of NBA teams, starring for Partizan, and it was reported recently that multiple teams reached out to inquire about his buyout with interest in signing him for the stretch run of the season,” Cornelissen wrote Saturday.
“Partizan refused to negotiate his buyout down, but it’s a signal that teams could come calling again this summer. The Lakers don't need more on-ball players, but they rather need high-energy role players to fill in around their stars. Bonga can do exactly that.”
“Reunions are a part of the NBA, and the Lakers have been a part of many. This one would be a slow cast of the boomerang, and could stoke the fires of nostalgia while also securing the perfect piece to build out their rotation around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.”
Bonga was drafted by the 76ers in 2018, but Philadelphia quickly traded him to the Lakers for a 2019 second-round pick and cash considerations. Bonga was used sparingly by then-head coach Luke Walton, contributing 0.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game in 5.5 minutes.
In July of 2019, the Lakers shipped Bonga to the Washington Wizards in a three-team deal, ending his short stint with the 17-time NBA champions. The 26-year-old spent two seasons with the Wizards and one with the Toronto Raptors before heading overseas.
As Corneliessen noted, Bonga could be a valuable second-unit contributor with the Lakers, serving as a much-needed spark during his second stint with the franchise.
That said, it’s unlikely he’ll land atop Los Angeles’ list of offseason targets.
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