Fastbreak

Los Angeles Lakers Could Reportedly Be Landing Spot For Elite Shooter

According to Jovan Buha and Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Lakers could be a landing spot for Gary Trent Jr.

Ben Stinar

Oct 17, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (33) walks into the United Center before the game against the Toronto Raptors. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 17, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (33) walks into the United Center before the game against the Toronto Raptors. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Gary Trent Jr. is coming off his fourth season playing for the Toronto Raptors.

The former Duke star finished the year with averages of 13.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest while shooting 42.6% from the field and 39.3% from the three-point range in 71 games.

This summer, Trent Jr. became a free agent who is available to sign with any team in the league.

On July 7, he remains unsigned.

Gary Trent Jr
Apr 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (33) shoots the ball against the Indiana Pacers in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Recently, Jovan Buha and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Los Angeles Lakers could be a landing spot for Trent Jr. (h/t HoopsHype).

Via Buha and Charania's article in The Athletic: "Gary Trent Jr. and Spencer Dinwiddie are two names to watch for if the Lakers clear enough space to use their taxpayer midlevel exception, according to league sources."

Trent Jr. was the 37th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

He has played six seasons in the league for the Portland Trail Blazers (and Raptors).

Gary Trent Jr
Apr 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (33) during player introductions before a game against the Washington Wizards at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports / John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Trent Jr. has career averages of 14.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 42.2% from the field and 38.6% from the three-point range in 341 regular season games.

He has also appeared in 11 NBA playoff games (seven starts).

As for the Lakers, they finished the 2023-24 season as the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 47-35 record.

They beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament, but lost to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

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Ben Stinar

BEN STINAR

Ben Stinar is the NBA reporter for Fastbreak on FanNation.