By Evan Massey
The Los Angeles Lakers were off to a slow start in NBA free agency heading into Wednesday. However, by the end of the day, they had major a huge splash.After signing Jake LaRavia as their first move in free agency, Rob Pelinka stayed patient and was able to land former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton after he cleared waivers from being bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers.While the addition of Ayton is a huge move for the Lakers, there is still more work to be done.Los Angeles needs to figure out a way to improve its defense on the perimeter. To that end, there is a potential trade target to keep a close eye on.Read more: Lakers’ LeBron James Receives Brutal Reality About FutureDorian Finney-Smith left the Lakers to sign a four-year, $53 million contract with the Houston Rockets. Could the two teams work out some kind of a sign-and-trade that would send a player back to Los Angeles?That is exactly what one reporter has suggested.According to a report from Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints, Cam Whitmore has been linked as a possible target for the Lakers.”Another name league sources have linked to the Lakers: Cam Whitmore,” Irwin wrote. “If Houston decides to shed a little salary or if they expand the Kevin Durant trade to include their acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith, Whitmore – who is looking for a larger role than he’d have on that loaded Rockets roster – is considered a candidate to be moved.”Whitmore would be a very intriguing pickup for Los Angeles and he is a player the Rockets have been looking to trade since the beginning of the offseason.During the 2024-25 NBA season with Houston, Whitmore was unable to find a consistent role. The Rockets are loaded with talent on the wing and he simply could not crack the rotation. He’s capable of being a rotation player though.Read more: Report: Damian Lillard-Lakers Connection Heating UpHe played in 51 games and made three starts, averaging 9.4 points per game to go along with three rebounds and an assists. In addition, he shot 44.4 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent from the three-point line.At just 20 years old, Whitmore would provide valuable youth for the Lakers. He could end up becoming a long-term piece to support Luka Doncic in years to come.While this is just an idea at this point, it’s a situation to monitor closely. Whitmore would make sense as a target for Los Angeles and would be a great addition on a cheap rookie scale contract with high upside.For more on the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.