LA's Open Roster Spot: 5 Free Agents That Can Still Be Added"

The Lakers currently have an open spot on their 15-man standard roster

With only five games remaining in the 2022-23 regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers still have an available spot on their 15-man standard roster. As a taxpaying team, the Lakers would owe $10,552 per day for the 15th man. However, the Lakers may be hesitant to sign someone due to financial concerns, as they believe their roster is nearly set with the playoffs approaching. 

The team could opt to promote a G League standout or one of their two-way players, Scotty Pippen Jr. or Cole Swider, to fill the spot for the postseason. Although former Laker Stanley Johnson would be a valuable addition, the team is unable to sign him until this summer due to CBA regulations.t's worth noting that the Lakers' roster has been plagued with injuries this season, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis both missing significant time. 

However, the team has managed to stay afloat and currently sits in the 7th seed in the Western Conference. Adding another player to the roster could provide some much-needed depth for the team heading into the postseason. The Lakers have been linked to several free agents, including Isaiah Thomas and Lance Stephenson, who have both previously played for the team.

 As the regular season winds down, the Lakers will need to make a decision soon on whether or not to fill their open roster spot. With the playoffs fast approaching, every game counts and having an extra player on the bench could prove to be invaluable.All that said, here are five still-available vets LA could add. 1-Tony Snell is a 6'7" veteran swingman who has the potential to be a solid 3-and-D player, but has not quite put all the pieces together. 

With a career average of 39.4% three-point shooting on 3.1 attempts, he could provide outside shooting for the Lakers. 2- Carmelo Anthony could offer the Lakers a boost in frontcourt offense and a little point-of-attack defensive help on the perimeter. Despite being 39 years old, Anthony remains a high-level shooter and would likely be happy to still have a spot on a roster. 3- Elfrid Payton was the starting point guard for the playoff-bound New York Knicks in 2020-21, although it was a controversial decision. 

However, his size and defense made him attractive to Tom Thibodeau and the Phoenix Suns, although his numbers took a hit last season. The 28-year-old, 6'3" guard could still have potential and may be worth considering as the 15th man on a playoff team. 4- Alize Johnson is a power forward who can jump and has a height of 6'7". He is similar to Gabriel in his style of play but provides the team with another option as a big man. 5- Nerlens Noel is an upgrade over Gabriel in terms of defense at the rim, as he has superior size and the ability to create opportunities in the post on offense. It's unclear why a playoff-bound team in need of more protection under the basket, like the Chicago Bulls, hasn't signed him yet.