The Los Angeles Lakers will look to address some key areas of their rotation this offseason, but revamping their bench group could become a main priority.
In an effort to support their superstar tandem of LeBron James and Luka Dončić, it’s plausible to believe that the Lakers and general manager Rob Pelinka may specifically search for consistent three-point shooting help and more veteran leadership.
Fortunately for Los Angeles, a suitable target from the Miami Heat could fill both of these roles to a tee.
If the Lakers scour the free agent market for a confident offensive talent with some valuable postseason experience, it may be in Pelinka’s best interests if he were to schedule a conversation with soon-to-be unrestricted free agent and 14-year veteran shooting guard Alec Burks.
While he may not be the most enticing name to hit free agency this summer, the 33-year-old outside shot-making threat has proven to be a capable performer in both the regular season and playoffs while playing spot minutes.
In 49 appearances for the Heat this season, the 6-foot-6 shooter contributed 7.3 points and 2.5 rebounds while knocking down a blistering 42.5% of his 4.2 looks from distance.
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After being selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Burks has enjoyed stints with the eight different NBA teams, but most notably the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors.
During the 2024 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals as a member of the Knicks last season, Burks averaged 14.8 points and shot 42.9% from three-point range before the team eventually lost in seven games to the Indiana Pacers.
By prospectively pairing the career 38.6% shooter from deep with James and Dončić in certain packages, Burks could prove to become a massively important weapon for an offense predicated on pick-and-roll at the top of the key and shooters ready to fire away in the corners.
Incredibly enough, Burks has posted a magnificent career 41.6% three-point percentage on his attempts from that area of the floor.
As a bargain option that can certainly affect the Lakers’ offense in a positive way, Burks might be a valuable free agent pick-up for the storied franchise.
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