The Los Angeles Lakers revamped their depth chart (and locker room vibes) prior to the 2023 trade deadline.

After exchanging Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, Thomas Bryant Damian Jones, and Juan Toscano-Anderson for D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba, Davon Reed, and Rui Hachimura, the Lakers are left with one open roster spot to potentially sign a player on the buyout market.

“If we see the right opportunity to fill a need in the buyout market, we will take a look at that,” said GM Rob Pelinka. “But I don’t want to definitively say that we’ll sign another player. We feel like these 14 players fill a need that Darvin was looking to fill, and he was excited about these 26 games we have to coach these 14 guys.”

The Lakers have 23 games to make up ground in the standings, develop chemistry, and sort out a rotation (and go-to crunch-time lineup), all while LeBron James navigates a nagging foot soreness. They already have 13 dudes who have a case for consistent playing time. Barring injury, throwing another rotation-caliber piece to the mix may only make things trickier for Darvin Ham.

If they do go the buyout route, however, here are five logical candidates. (Reminder: players must be bought out by March 1 to be playoff-eligible for their new teams, and players cannot rejoin teams from which they were recently traded, ruling out Beverley, JTA, and Stanley Johnson for the Lakers.)

5. Kevin Love

Kevin Love is finalizing a contract buyout with the Cavs. The Miami Heat seem to be the early favorite to land the forward. However, if he gets wind that LeBron and his hometown club were interested, perhaps the 34-year-old would pursue that path.

Love doesn't offer precisely what the Lakers need — he's a minus defender, and the Lakers have athleticism, versatility, and youth around Anthony Davis in the frontcourt post-deadline. That said, his perimeter shooting, veteran chops, and experience with James could come in handy.

4. Will Barton

The Lakers could use another quality wing defender, ideally one who can shoot. Of course, so could everybody else. A few appealing 3-and-Dish players (Danny Green, Terrence Ross) have been scooped up. (Kelly Oubre Jr. is out a few more weeks after surgery on his shooting hand, and the Charlotte Hornets have more incentive to keep his Bird Rights than buy him out; otherwise, he might be the best option for the Lakers.)

Will Barton is not an archetypal 3-and-D, but he's a springy 6'6 shot creator averaging 14.1 points per 36 and making 38% of his triples in 2022-23. He'd need to pick up his defense, but he could be worth a flyer despite his redundancy with Lonnie Walker IV.

3. John Wall

A John Wall signing can't be ruled out considering his Klutch ties (LeBron wanted the Lakers to trade Russ and picks for Wall at the 2021-22 deadline); as we know, stars love the idea of adding “stars.”

The Lakers have a surplus of under-6'4 guards, but it wouldn't hurt to have another proven playmaker on the second unit, even one who is borderline cooked. On a per-36-minute basis, Wall averaged 18.4 points and 8.5 assists with the Clippers amid an overcrowded backcourt. His 32.2% career 3-point percentage wouldn't help the Lakers' league-worst production from downtown, and he hasn't actually played in over a month.

2. Seth Curry

Seth Curry is another small guard, but his elite sniping (42.5% from deep this season) would be hard to resist, for any team. The Nets can continue shedding their luxury tax bill by buying out the 32-year-old's expiring deal. If they do, the Lakers should give his agent a ring.

(Objectively, the most fun scenario would see Curry creating an actual Splash Brothers backcourt in Golden State.)

1. Dario Saric

Dario Saric was finding a groove before the Suns dumped him to OKC. In January, the 6'10 stretch 5 averaged 9.7 points on 45.2% 3-point shooting in 19.3 minutes off the bench.

The Lakers don't quite have a guy like Saric: A true small-ball center who can play in any lineup and effectively spaces the floor. The Thunder may keep him as they make a playoff push, but if not, Sario will have no shortage of suitors. The Lakers should be one of them.