The Los Angeles Lakers have enjoyed a remarkable 2024-25 season to this juncture, as the franchise currently boasts a 35-21 record and maintains possession of the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles has been stellar since their trade acquisition of ex-Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, winning four of the first six contests in which he’s taken the floor.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) speaks to the media after the game against the Dallas Mavericks
Unfortunately, their general manager Rob Pelinka may be forced to look ahead to this summer to address issues pertaining to Dončić’s lack of defensive prowess on the perimeter.
In order to solve this problem, the team’s front office could end up inquiring about an explosive two-way guard and NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, Gary Payton II.
At 32 years old, Payton II could be the perfect backcourt partner to place next to Dončić on defense due to his strong frame, active hands and unbelievable leaping ability.
In the 2022 NBA Finals, Payton II proved his worth by contributing 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals to help the Warriors in their eventual title victory over the Boston Celtics.
The talented guard is currently averaging 5.4 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 55.8% from the field for a Warriors team trying desperately to crawl back into the playoff picture.
Over the past few seasons, Payton II has begun to give prospective franchises a sense of the production and worth that he adds to a competitive team due to his defensive intensity and high-flying capabilities as a dunker and overall paint presence while standing at just 6-foot-2.
Payton II could theoretically be an incredible partner to both Dončić and four-time NBA champion LeBron James if he were to be picked up by Los Angeles as an unrestricted free agent.
As a smart player with the willingness to do all of the little things, he’d likely guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis while also serving as a great screener and lob threat on offense.
With his experience as a battle-tested professional and NBA champion, Los Angeles may realistically look into giving the nine-year veteran a chance to impact winning for one of the league’s most storied franchises.
