Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Biggest needs for the 2018 offseason

4. Back-Up Point Guard

Lakers management seem satisfied that Ball will be their point guard for the foreseeable future. They expect him to work on his shot and his conditioning this offseason and hope he improves as much in his second year as Ingram did in his.

But who will serve as Ball’s back-up? Last July, the Lakers sought to sign a veteran such as George Hill or Rajon Rondo to a lucrative one-year contract. But Hill opted for a multi-year deal, and Rondo wanted to play major minutes, which he ended up doing in New Orleans.

Might the club seek the same kind of veteran this summer? Will they have any better luck? The front office would like to preserve cap space to permit them to sign two elite free agents, perhaps George this year and someone else next summer. So they will restrict themselves regarding how much they will offer to a veteran back-up.

As mentioned earlier, re-signing Isaiah Thomas remains a possibility. But although he was willing to accept a reserve role in his limited time with the team this past year, it remains to be seen if he’d agree to do so again next season.

Ennis does not seem to be the answer. It is possible the Lakers might consider either Alex Caruso, who appeared in 37 games this past season, or Gary Payton II, who played in 11, for the role. But the club might instead look to the draft, where several point guard prospects could be available when they pick, including UCLA’s Aaron Holiday and Jalen Brunson of Villanova, among others.
If the Lakers are unable to either sign or draft a suitable back-up PG, we might see Ingram assume that role.