Everyone knows that the Los Angeles Lakers want to sign Lebron James and at least one other star this offseason. However, despite all the young talent, they can put around him (or them), history has shown that it probably won’t be enough to win a championship right away.
The NBA’s free agency period is just around the corner, and it could be a crazy one for the Los Angeles Lakers. It is the league’s worst kept secret that Lebron James will be a free agent come July 1st and that he’s likely leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers. A couple teams, including the Lakers, will by vying for his talents.
Once Jeanie Buss hired them last season, Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have done a great job of positioning the team to have the ability to sign two max-level free agents this summer. This could mean not only obtaining LeBron but also perennial All-Star Paul George, who is from Palmdale and has hinted at wanting to return to SoCal.
If (when?) the Lakers pull off this double coup, Lakers Nation will undoubtedly be stoked to the max. Some may even make plans to be at the championship parade next June. But they should pump their brakes a bit, as history has shown that youth alone doesn’t win championships.
To illustrate this fact, all we have to do is look back at Lakers history. In 1996, then-general manager Jerry West signed 24-year-old Shaquille O’Neal and obtained the rights to a 17-year-old named Kobe Bryant. The Lakers had young complimentary players such as Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones and Cedric Ceballos already on the team, and most felt that championships were inevitable.
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However, they had to ensure some rough growing pains. The physical, salty and grizzled Utah Jazz schooled the young Lakers in five games in the second round of the playoffs that year, then humiliated them in a four-game sweep in 1998. Then in 1999, the San Antonio Spurs, another older, experienced team, snatched their hearts and stomped on them in another four-game sweep.
The Lakers and their front office learned that their team as constituted simply wasn’t ready to win yet. They responded by bringing in players who could teach Shaq and Kobe how to win.
Throughout the late 90s, Ceballos, Van Exel and Jones were all jettisoned in favor of veterans Robert Horry and Glen Rice, while Rick Fox, another vet, signed as a free agent.
Then in 1999, the great Phil Jackson became the team’s head coach, and at his request, another round of veterans joined the team. Ron Harper, A.C. Green, Brian Shaw and John Salley, who each had at least a decade of experience were signed. All of a sudden, the Lakers’ roster looked like Shaq and Kobe at an old folks’ home.
But it worked wonders, as they immediately won three straight world championships. All those grizzled vets gave the team wisdom and experience to draw upon, such as when they trailed Portland by 15 late in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals.
If next year’s Lakers, plus LeBron and Paul George, and possibly Kawhi Leonard, have any hope of getting past Golden State and making it to the NBA Finals, it would help immensely if they added a couple of veterans who not only have something left in the tank, but can teach young pups such as Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Josh Hart how to be champions.
As Lebron ages, he’ll need more help, and he candidly talked about wanting to play with smart vets during this year’s NBA Finals.
"“In order to win, you’ve got to have talent, but you’ve got to be very cerebral, too,” James said. “Listen, we’re all NBA players. Everybody knows how to put the ball in the hoop. But who can think throughout the course of the game?"
Who should they sign? There is a slew of free agent role players that could be had for a reasonable price.
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A former Laker, Trevor Ariza, who was a key role player on their 2009 championship team, will be available. He’s a solid 3-point shooter and can give them an active team defender off the bench. Marco Belinelli is a dependable 3-point shooting wing who played on the Spurs’ 2014 championship team.
How about Mario Chalmers? He’s not the greatest outside shooter in the league, but he won two titles with Lebron in South Beach. Danny Green could be an intriguing option. He’s a dead-eye 3-point shooter and has gained a reputation as an effective defensive player. I know you’ll laugh at this, but even JaVale McGee, the mayor of Shaqtin’ A Fool, may be able to contribute (a little).
If the Lakers want to get a little more ambitious (and spend a little more money by freeing it up), they should consider Tony Parker. He’s the proud owner of four NBA World Championship rings, was the MVP of the 2007 championship series and seems to have something left in the tank. He could be a good mentor to Lonzo Ball, and maybe even convince him to spend less time in the recording studio and more time working on his game.
If the Lakers not only want to contend again but win the NBA Championship sooner than later, they should go all in. After all, Lebron will turn 34 around Christmas time, and who knows how much longer his freakish body will hold up.
It may take him and Paul George taking a mild pay cut, but Magic and Rob Pelinka can present it as an optional scenario and let them choose between max money and slightly less than max money.
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No one is saying that the Lakers should get rid of all their young guys, but adding some wisdom and salt to this team won’t exactly hurt.