The Los Angeles Lakers addressed their defensive shortcomings this offseason with the additions of Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. However, neither player is an adept long-range sniper, a concern for a Lakers team that already boasts several subpar perimeter shooters.
Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen, one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, is the sort of perimeter threat who could help the Lakers. As such, Fadeaway World proposed a Lakers trade that would send Allen and Dean Wade to Los Angeles in exchange for Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber and few draft assets.
Lakers would receive: Grayson Allen, Dean Wade, 2028 first-round pick (BKN/NYK/WAS)
Suns would receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, 2032 second-round pick (LAL)
Cavaliers would receive: Oso Ighodaro
How the Lakers Trade Helps…
Eddie Bitar argued that his proposed trade would help the Lakers not only add a veteran sharpshooter in Allen, but also a reliable backup power forward in Wade.
“The Lakers just got smarter on both ends, landing a marksman who spreads the floor and a high-IQ glue-guy who can guard multiple spots,” he wrote. “First off, Grayson Allen brings elite shooting: he shot 42.6% from deep last season and had an effective field-goal percentage of 60.0%.
“Then there’s Dean Wade, quiet, versatile, effective. Last season, he logged 5.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 41.3% from the field and 36.0% from deep in 59 games on a $6.6 M expiring deal. Wade can defend multiple faces, pop threes, and comes at a price that won’t cap-strangle the roster.
“Putting Allen’s sniper touch alongside Wade’s positional flexibility gives the Lakers two efficient, selfless pieces that wood-chip the minutes without forcing lineups.”
As for the Suns, Bitar argued that Vanderbilt would bring the grit and perimeter defense the team sorely lacked during the unsuccessful 2024-25 campaign.
Overrated Offseason?
In the 2024-25 NBA season, JJ Redick’s team ranked 14th in three-point percentage (36.4) and 15th in three-pointers made (13.3). Those percentages dipped even further in their five-game postseason series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Many analysts believe that the additions of Smart and Ayton, while a plus for the Lakers defensively, won’t solve their overarching issues on offense, specifically shooting.
That would explain why Bleacher Report ranked the Lakers’ offseason additions among the “most overrated players” to play in the NBA since the start of the decade.
“(Ayton’s) defensive engagement is prone to mountainous peaks yet even starker valleys. Ditto for his presence on the glass. His teams have defended better with him on the floor exactly once since 2020-21,” Dan Favale wrote on Ayton, before then mentioning Smart.
“Out of the 155 other players to attempt as many shots since 2020-21, Smart’s 50.1 effective field-goal percentage ranks 143rd…Smart looked out of his depth when used as an on-ball initiator long before leaving the Boston Celtics.”
While Ayton signed with the Lakers on a two-year $16 million deal, Smart joined the Purple & Gold franchise on a two-year, $11 million contract. There’s no guarantee that either player will remain with the team beyond the 2025-26 season, especially if the team fails to make a deep postseason run in the 2026 playoffs.
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