Lakers Rumors: Moe Harkless, Joe Wieskamp, Tony Snell Eyed as FAs amid Struggles
November 14, 2022
After a 3-10 start, it's becoming readily apparent that the Los Angeles Lakers need to make some changes, either via trade or free agency.
While the team may not veer from the patient approach just yet, a few free agents have reportedly pinged their radar.
According to NBA writer Marc Stein, the Lakers have "indeed looked at free agents for a potential in-season roster boost—first Moe Harkless and more recently Joe Wieskamp and Tony Snell—but the sense I got after spending the past week in L.A. is that their preference is to wait for the returns of Dennis Schröder and Thomas Bryant before making judgments that could lead to changes."
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium previously reported that the Lakers worked out all three players:
The Rally @TheRally"I’m told the expectation is James will be out the next two Lakers games … The Lakers also (recently) held free-agent workouts with Joe Wieskamp and Tony Snell.”<br><br>NBA Insider <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a> has the latest on LeBron James’ status and the Lakers. <a href="https://t.co/ZmCNqqI9dq">pic.twitter.com/ZmCNqqI9dq</a>
None of those potential free-agent additions would make a major splash for a Lakers team with foundational issues, but they might help plug a few holes in lieu of a bigger move.
Harkless, 29, last played for the Sacramento Kings last season, averaging 4.6 points across 47 appearances (24 starts) while shooting 45.9 percent from the field but just 30.7 percent from three.
He was traded multiple times this past offseason before being released by the Houston Rockets in October.
Harkless wouldn't do much for the team's spacing issues or shooting woes, but he'd offer more defensive versatility on the wing.
Wieskamp, 23, wouldn't appear to be a major upgrade either after shooting just 32.6 percent from three during his rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs last year, though it's possible he had a down year from beyond the arc after shooting 41.2 from deep in three college seasons at Iowa.
Snell, 31, most recently played for the New Orleans Pelicans last season. For his career he's a 39.4 percent shooter from three and offers length on the wing, making him a logical potential pickup for the Lakers.
It's hard to imagine Snell doing much more than cracking the back-end of the Lakers rotation, though he's proven over the course of his career to be more in the vein of the role player the team needs than either Harkless or Wieskamp.