The Los Angeles Lakers still need a starting-level wing or forward who is between roughly 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-9 to complete their roster for this coming season. Unfortunately, the pickings are slim, as P.J. Washington of the Dallas Mavericks may not be gettable, and Jonathan Kuminga seems to be asking for too much money on his next contract as a free agent.
While the Lakers may have improved defensively, at least on paper, this summer, they have also leaned into offense overall, at least to a certain extent. If they can’t land a two-way starting forward, what if they were to lean a bit further into offense by getting a 3-point sniper to take that starting forward spot, at least as a stopgap solution?
That is the argument Fran Leiva of Fadeaway World seemed to make when suggesting that Los Angeles should consider trading for Duncan Robinson of the Detroit Pistons by giving up Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht and a 2031 second-round pick.
“Duncan Robinson is probably the best immediate offensive fit, and I can already imagine how annoying a [Luka] Doncic-Robinson combination would be for opposing defenses,” Leiva wrote. “Robinson averaged 12.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists last season, shooting 45.6% from the field and 41.0% from three across 77 games. He also started every game he played for a Pistons team that won 60 games, so this isn’t based on reputation or what he did with the [Miami] Heat five years ago. He was still an elite shooter for one of the best teams in the league.
“He isn’t just running around and launching every time he catches the ball anymore. Robinson can attack closeouts, make the extra pass, and operate in two-man actions without completely stopping the possession. His years playing around Bam Adebayo helped him become much better in dribble handoffs, and JJ Redick could use similar concepts with Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Doncic, or [Austin] Reaves.
“The idea of Luka holding the ball on one side while Robinson runs around two screens on the other sounds ridiculous. Defenses already have to send help toward Doncic, and adding a 41.0% movement shooter would force them to choose between leaving Luka in single coverage or giving Robinson a clean look. He’ll earn around $16.0 million next season, which makes this framework more expensive than other scenarios. Vanderbilt is at $12.4 million, while Knecht will earn roughly $4.2 million, so the Lakers could match the salary without needing another team.”
Robinson has a career average of 11.5 points in 26.3 minutes a game while shooting 39.9% from 3-point range. He’s a high-volume 3-point shooter who went to the NBA Finals with the Heat twice, so he would bring definite playoff experience to Los Angeles, and at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, he can play the 2 and 3 positions.
He isn’t particularly athletic and his defense is lackluster. But he has two years left on his contract, so perhaps he could, at the very least, be used as a trade chip next summer or even this winter if the Lakers are able to trade for a more ideal two-way starting forward.
In this spring’s playoffs, Robinson shot 45.6% from beyond the arc while averaging 11.8 points in 29.5 minutes a game. He also put up fairly similar offensive numbers in the 2020 and 2023 postseasons as he helped Miami reach the championship series. Perhaps he’s someone who could help L.A. win an extra game or two in the spring of 2027.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Writer suggests Lakers go after Pistons sharpshooter
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
