Writer suggests the Lakers should sign Clippers wing in free agency

In addition to help at the center position, the Los Angeles Lakers need help at the wing position. Their lack of perimeter defense was exposed in this year's NBA playoffs versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, and they will need to get creative with their limited resources.

That means making good use of their mid-level exception, especially if they're unable to use it on a center. Unless LeBron James opts out of his current contract and takes a significant pay cut, the Lakers will only have the taxpayer mid-level exception of roughly $5.7 million. But that may be enough for a player at the wing position who will become a legitimate part of their rotation.

Austin Veazey of Sports Illustrated suggested that they make an attempt to sign Amir Coffey away from the Los Angeles Clippers.

Via Sports Illustrated:

"One player the Lakers could look to target is LA Clippers wing Amir Coffey," Veazey wrote. "When you have playmakers and scorers as talented as [Luka] Dončić and LeBron James, surrounding them with shooting and positional versatility matters. Coffey is coming off his best season in his six years in the NBA, averaging a career-high 9.7 points per game in 72 appearances while shooting 40.9 percent from 3 on 3.4 attempts per game.

"With Coffey listed at 6-foot-7, he can slot in about anywhere on the wing, and shouldn't be too expensive. He's coming off a three-year, $11 million contract extension with the Clippers and should be gettable for around the same price, despite being mentioned as one of the top available small forwards in free agency."

It is very unlikely the Lakers could count on Coffey becoming a starter for them. But he could provide some serviceable minutes off the bench, especially if Dorian Finney-Smith, who can opt out of his contract this summer, leaves, or they trade Rui Hachimura in order to land a more important piece.

Coffey, who will turn 28 years of age on Tuesday, has become a regular part of the Clippers' rotation over the last few years after going undrafted in 2019. He started to prove he could play during the 2021-22 season when Kawhi Leonard was out with an ACL injury by averaging 9.0 points in 22.7 minutes a game and hitting 37.8% of his 3-point attempts that season.

He made $3.9 million this season, and his contract is about to expire.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Writer suggests the Lakers should sign Clippers wing in free agency