Pelinka stop seaching, the player that could replace D-Lo is already in the Lakers

One of the areas from the LA Lakers that have excelled the most has been their scouting segment, as they have done a great job at identifying and developing players who were either second-round draft picks or completely undrafted.

Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves come to mind as recent success stories, and now there's another one who is becoming an intriguing prospect and could have a breakout season the next campaign.

GM Rob Pelinka is currently seeking to upgrade from D'Angelo Russell. While they could go and pursue a proven vet, they already have one in Dennis Schroder, that could become the starter, but the actual replacement should be the rookie PG Scotty Pippen Jr.

Pippen Jr. spent his rookie year on a two-way contract, mostly appearing in the G League with the South Bay Lakers as he appeared in 35 games and led the team in scoring, averaging 22.2 PPG on 45.3% shooting from the field. Without a doubt, he is a talent to follow that should have more playing time and should replace D-Lo.

What Pippen Jr. did in the G League

Because of his performance, Pippen would be named to the 2023 NBA G League Next Up Game and the 2023 Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend.