Los Angeles Lakers center Brook Lopez is high on the future of the team.
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to have a busy offseason. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka are going to have their hands full with a number of different things on their agenda. While they have been together for about a year, they have accomplished a lot of good things.
The Lakers roster has a lot of talented, young players. Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart make up a solid core four. Julius Randle could be part of that group depending on how free agency goes for Los Angeles this summer.
Randle is one of the many free agents that the Lakers will have to make a decision on. Randle is a restricted free agent, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye and Brook Lopez are all unrestricted free agents.
Lakers’ management plans to go big game hunting in free agency. Johnson and Pelinka have been preparing to make a run at the likes of LeBron James, Paul George and DeMarcus Cousins this summer. The uncertainty surrounding free agency will cause the Lakers to have multiple plans in place, giving them an opportunity to adjust their plans on the fly.
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Whatever may happen, the outlook for the Lakers is bright. Their young core in place provides a lot of hope for the future. Lopez, for one, is a fan of the Lakers’ outlook.
"“There’s a lot of different variables but that being said, I love what’s going on here.“When you have that kind of foundation and those kind of players playing together on the floor with the right kind of mentality, it’s not about themselves, it’s about the team, it’s something special and very unique,” Lopez said.“I think there’s going to be a lot of success here in the future because of the way those guys approach the game and the mindset they have. They put team-first. Guys with that mentality and the talent they have, that’s how you build a championship team.”"
In addition to the youngsters on the roster, the Lakers will have another chance to add young talent in the 2018 NBA Draft. The Lakers have the No. 25 overall pick courtesy of their NBA Trade Deadline deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
While picking that late in the first round isn’t easy, the Lakers have had success doing it in recent years. Larry Nance Jr., Kuzma and Hart were all late round picks. Jordan Clarkson was a second-round pick, as was Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant.
Bringing Lopez back to that group could be beneficial. Despite his struggles this season, Lopez showed he can produce when called upon. Landing a long-term deal with the Lakers is unlikely, but he could help them out on a one-year deal.
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Lopez 3-point shooting and rim protection are two things the Lakers could use. Depending on how free agency unfolds, there could be a place for Lopez on the Lakers going forward, if the price is right.