The Los Angeles Lakers are the betting favorites to land Minnesota Timberwolves‘ top reserve Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency.
Walker-Alexander is an unrestricted free agent this summer and is expected to get a healthy raise from his $4.3 million salary this past season.
Online sports book Bovada has the Lakers as a +235 favorite to become Alexander-Walker’s next team if he’s not returning to the Timberwolves next season. Trailing the Lakers behind are the Brooklyn Nets (+290), Golden State Warriors (+425), Miami Heat (+525), Toronto Raptors (+900) and Oklahoma City Thunder (+230).
Walker-Alexander is among the top free agents that the Timberwolves are hoping to keep. Julius Randle and Naz Reid are the other two. But unlike Alexander-Walker, Randle and Reid have player options, which, if they pick up, will put the Timberwolves in a financial crunch.
Taking Advantage of Timberwolves’ Financial Crunch
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said he’d be surprised if the Timberwolves bring them all back.
“Well, I don’t think they can keep this team together,” Windhorst said on “Pardon My Take” on May 27. “The core, they can, but… so Julius Randle’s a free agent. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a free agent and Naz Reid is a free agent. He has an opt out which I’m sure he’s going to take. Ant’s contract is very large.
“I would be surprised if they were able to re-sign all three guys. I suppose they could trade another player off to keep them, maybe they can, I mean, I don’t know, but I would be kind of surprised if they could afford all three.”
The Lakers can take advantage of the Timberwolves’ financial situation. However, they are projected to only have the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception, which might not be enough to land Alexander-Walker.
Unless LeBron James opts out of his player option and take a paycut to get the Lakers under the luxury tax and gain access to the $14.1 million non-taxpayer MLE, the Lakers will get outbid for Alexander-Walker’s services.
Alexander-Walker, 26, is coming off a solid season with the Timberwolves, averaging 9.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He’s shot over 38% from the 3-point line in the last two seasons that makes him one of the best 3-and-D wings in the market this summer.
In Game 4 against the Thunder, the Canadian wing exploded for 23 points and six assists.
Alexander-Walker and newly-minted NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder are first cousins.
Lakers’ Top Priority is Center
Adding another wing is not Lakers’ top priority in the offseason. Getting a starting-caliber center is what newly promoted team president Rob Pelinka would like to address before anything else.
“This offseason, one of our primary goals is gonna be to add size in our frontcourt at the center position, and that’s just gonna be a part of the equation,” Pelinka told reporters during his end-of-season press conference.
“We have multiple free agents, too. Obviously, those questions will be answered in July and in August, but we know we have a lot of work to do on the roster. It’ll look different next year for sure.”
Pelinka said they are not boxed into a vertical lob threat, which worked well in the past with Dončić.
“In terms of center traits, it would be great to have a center that was a vertical threat, a lob threat, and someone who can protect the interior defensively. I think those would be keys,” he said.
“But there are multiple types of centers that could be effective in the league. There are also spread centers that can protect the rim. We’ll look at those as well. So I wouldn’t want to limit the archetype, but we know we need a big man.”
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