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The Los Angeles Lakers pretty much found a solution to turning around their franchise after Kobe Bryant's departure by signing LeBron James in the 2018 offseason. Since then, the Purple and Gold have adjusted their roster by building around James.
While there have been some successful acquisitions, headlined by Anthony Davis, there have also been complete busts who failed to play up to par. Here's the Lakers' 10 worst acquisitions since LeBron James joined the team, ranked.
10. Ben McLemore
On paper, Ben McLemore would've been a great addition to the then defending champions as a spot-up shooter. He once exploded for a season-high 20 points in a loss against the Dallas Mavericks. However, come playoff time, McLemore could only muster 1.5 points per game on 22% shooting from the field and 33% from behind the three-point line.
9. Gabe Vincent
After a stint with the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals, Gabe Vincent was one of the most exciting additions by the Lakers. His valuable two-way play would've fortified the roster, at least on paper.
Unfortunately, Vincent struggled to stay healthy. Although his perimeter defense was felt, Vincent's offense was nowhere to be found. He tallied 1.4 points per game on 25% shooting from the field, which was a huge dropoff compared to his 2023 Playoff campaign.
8. Spencer Dinwiddie
The Lakers unusually only made improvement to their roster during the trade deadline and buyout season, which was to sign Spencer Dinwiddie. Supposedly giving the Lakers an additional weapon on offense, Dinwiddie has disappointed big time for the Purple and Gold.
In one of his worst NBA stints, Dinwiddie only averaged 6.8 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game on 40% shooting. Furthermore, he was also a nonfactor in the postseason.
7. Patrick Beverley
With the Lakers wanting to improve defensively, the addition of Patrick Beverley would've helped the Purple and Gold. However, Beverley's stint with the Lakers was forgettable and short.
In just 45 games, Beverley put up 6.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 40% shooting. Beverley eventually was a part of the Lakers' major roster overhaul midway through the 2022-2023 season.
6. Andre Drummond
With the Lakers scrambling for a big man, they resorted to the buyout market by picking up Andre Drummond. Although Drummond showed flashes of being the physical big man the Lakers needed, the All-Star center was also a liability on offense.
With a traditional post-up game, Drummond often clogged the Lakers' spacing. This eventually forced the Lakers to return to Marc Gasol, who made the team realize that he was actually the better fit in the first place.
5. Montrezl Harrell
With the Lakers seeing the departures of Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, the Purple and Gold opted to pick up reigning Sixth Man of the Year winner Montrezl Harrell to fill the void of their frontcourt.
But unlike their championship pieces, Harrell was largely undersized at 6'7. Although he made some impact as a cutter, Harrell's size became a liability. In fact, he was even a nonfactor in the Lakers' first-round series against the Suns.
4. DeAndre Jordan
After the Lakers' failed title defense, the Purple and Gold beefed up their frontcourt in the offseason by signing All-Star center DeAndre Jordan. However, the aging Jordan wasn't as athletic as he used to be.
Surprisingly, the Lakers even utilized him as the starting center in some of their games. He produced poor numbers, 4.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per outing. Like Drummond, Jordan was also a terrible fit.
3. Trevor Ariza
Trevor Ariza's first Lakers stint was memorable, but his return to the franchise over a decade later was forgettable. Fresh from a stint with the Miami Heat, Ariza was tasked to be a two-way player for the Lakers, which would've been a valuable addition next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
However, Ariza struggled to stay healthy. This made Ariza struggle on both ends of the floor, making him a nonfactor in the Lakers' campaign.
2. Kendrick Nunn
Before Gabe Vincent, the Lakers endured the struggles of Kendrick Nunn, who was also a popular role player with the Heat. Nunn was a solid role player for the Heat, who tormented the Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Nunn eventually joined the Lakers for the 2020-2021 season, which was originally celebrated. Unfortunately, a knee injury sidelined his Lakers debut for a season, Fast-forward, his return turned out to be a bust. His production took a huge dip before the Lakers finally traded him to Washington.
1. Russell Westbrook
When the Lakers searched for its third star along with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the team thought that adding Russell Westbrook was the right choice. Despite criticisms everywhere, the Lakers fully believed otherwise. In the end, the Lakers were forced to swallow the bullet. Westbrook pretty much struggled in terms of fit as the Lakers failed to even make the playoffs that year.
