Lakers urged to reunite LeBron James with $20 million 'fan favorite' guard via buyout

The top buyout targets won’t move the needle for many Los Angeles Lakers fans.

However, some assets could play an underrated role in the franchise’s future success. In Silver Screen and Roll’s Edwin Garcia’s opinion, a ‘fan favorite’ guard who competed alongside LeBron James in Los Angeles for the 2018-19 season wouldn’t be a bad option. 

“From the one who got away to circling back on a former player, here comes Lonzo Ball,” Garcia wrote Thursday. “He was recently traded from the Cavs to the Jazz, but Utah is expected to waive him.”

“Ball has battled injuries throughout his career and struggled this season in Cleveland, but he did average 7.6 points on 34.4% shooting from three in Chicago last season. Plus, he’s still a fan favorite.”

“Ball won’t have his jersey hanging in the rafters like Magic Johnson envisioned, but he could still contribute to the Lakers’ success if he returns.”

It’s no secret that Ball has a history with the Lakers. Los Angeles went all-in on the UCLA product in the 2017 NBA Draft, selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick. Ball’s stint with the Lakers was short-lived, though, as the organization believed they had seen enough from the 27-year-old after two lackluster seasons. 

Los Angeles included Ball in a blockbuster 2019 deal for former New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis. Judging by the fact that the Anaheim, California native has struggled mightily with his health since leaving the Lakers, it isn’t far-fetched to suggest the 17-time NBA champions made the right decision to cut him loose. 

Still, Ball is a talented, defensive-minded player with plenty of basketball left in the tank, potentially leading to a reunion with the franchise that took a chance on him in 2017.

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