Lakers Should Target Donte DiVincenzo Contract in Free Agency amid Chris Paul Rumors

Heading into the 2023 NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have one big question hanging over the franchise: Will LeBron James play next season?

Once that's answered, the team must go about building a roster that can contend.

James stated he'll have to "think about" continuing to play, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. Assuming he comes back for another run, the next step is to build around him, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves—provided L.A. matches any and all offers Reaves receives as a restricted free agent.

There's a good chance Los Angeles' core group looks a lot like the one that fell to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. Players like Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell could be back, though the latter may also be a sign-and-trade candidate.

"The Lakers are said to be exploring similar sign-and-trade possibilities with Russell," Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wrote.

Los Angeles might not find an overwhelming trade market for Russell after his limitations were exposed against Denver. However, a trade—or moving on from the 27-year-old entirely—would make sense for the Lakers if they can find a clear-cut upgrade at point guard.

This brings us to Chris Paul, who reportedly could be waived by the Phoenix Suns ahead of free agency:

If the 38-year-old is released or traded, the Lakers could be in play.

"If the Suns do move Paul, sources around the NBA are whispering about three potential destinations: the Clippers, the Lakers, and the Spurs," Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer wrote.

Might Phoenix be willing to deal Paul for Russell? According to Fischer, the Suns previously had interest in the impending free agent.

"The Suns held discussions with the Timberwolves regarding Russell prior to the trade deadline, sources told Yahoo Sports, before Minnesota found a new home for him with the Lakers," he wrote.

All of this means that another blockbuster trade could be in the cards for the Lakers, as they look to make what could be a final run with James. However, Phoenix is going to have options with Paul, and there's no guarantee that he lands in L.A.

While the Lakers ponder the idea of adding a third superstar to go with James and Davis—and weigh the possibility that this one might pay off, unlike the Russell Westbrook deal—they have to consider their alternatives.

If Russell proves to be L.A.'s best option at point guard, how can the Lakers make their roster more formidable? History suggests that putting more shooters around James and Davis works.

During Los Angeles' 2020 run to the championship, the Lakers had six different players shoot better than 37 percent from three-point range while averaging more than one attempt per playoff game. That number was cut in half this past postseason with only Reaves, Hachimura and Lonnie Walker IV hitting the mark.

If the Lakers are only going to make minor tweaks to their roster, adding a reliable shooter would be a great start. This brings us to 26-year-old Golden State Warriors point guard Donte DiVincenzo—who at least one rival executive believes is on L.A.'s radar.

"It's possible they won't have a ton of roster overhaul, but they would like another shooter," a Western Conference general manager told Heavy's Jonathan Adams. "They could make a push for Donte DiVincenzo from the Warriors, depending on what they do with him. He might command more than the tax MLE on the market, but he would be the right kind of guy."

While adding the 26-year-old wouldn't generate headlines like a Paul acquisition would, it would aid the offense significantly. DiVincenzo is coming off a tremendous season in which he played a career-high 72 games and shot 39.7 percent from beyond the arc.

He wouldn't be the defensive answer the Lakers need if they run into Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets again in the postseason. Paul wouldn't either, for that matter. However, having DiVincenzo as a dependable kick-out option might just allow L.A. to keep pace on the scoreboard.

Three of the Lakers' four losses in the conference finals sweep were by six or fewer points.

DiVincenzo could also serve as an additional ball-handler to aid James or to help run the second unit. That's largely the role Russell was expected to fill this past postseason, but that plan didn't work against Denver.

The challenge could be fitting DiVincenzo into the team's financial plans. As Adams, noted, he may want more than Los Angeles could afford on the taxpayer mid-level exception ($7 million).

If the Villanova product declines his $4.7 million player option with Golden State, that number likely represents his absolute floor. He might not opt out, could sign an extension with the Warriors or could price himself out of Los Angeles.

However, he should be high on the Lakers' free-agent wish list because he would fill a need and is a much more realistic free-agent option than, say, Fred VanVleet or Kyrie Irving.

The Lakers may look to trade for a player like Paul first—or perhaps convince him to sign for the veteran's minimum—before turning their attention to DiVincenzo.

However, signing DiVincenzo to a free-agent contract is a high-end Plan B that Los Angeles must consider.