The Los Angeles Lakers have made a mark during free agency thus far, making themselves relevant again but how far will these signings take them for next season and beyond.
The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a hot start in free agency thus far by adding the biggest fish in the pond and the greatest player in the world in LeBron James.
That set the NBA landscape on fire and began a flurry of free agency signings, including the Lakers. They began to start building the team around James for the next era of Laker basketball.
It all started with Magic Johnson and the vision he has with the purple and gold. He made a guarantee that he would get this team back on track within two years or he would step down as president of basketball operations immediately. So far, he’s done a pretty good job Lakers fans would say.
With an eye on the present and future of the Los Angeles Lakers getting back on track to winning more games and getting back to the playoffs and back to once again winning championships, let’s go through the free agent signings thus far and go through some potential moves before training camp begins.
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Adding the best player in the game
As mentioned in the beginning, the Lakers set the NBA on fire when LeBron James announced that he will leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second time to bring his talents to Hollywood.
This signing alone will immediately bring the Lakers back in the fold as one of the best teams in the league for the first time since 2010.
What’s interesting here is the fact that James decided to sign a long-term deal instead of the usual short-term deal. It’s a four-year deal worth just about $154 million.
That means that Magic Johnson got James to buy into the program and believe in what Magic Johnson is selling in the future. That’s big time as this means that James will likely end his career with the Lakers.
On the court, James will add the veteran leadership to the young talent that the Lakers have on the roster. He will help develop and make better the games of Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball among others.
One-year deals
Once James committed to the Lakers, Magic Johnson went back to work to surround James with some more talent. The first thing that the Lakers added back was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a one-year deal worth about $12 million.
That gives James and the Lakers a good 3-and-D player that’ll fit along nicely on the squad. But the next few free agent signings got everyone questioning what the Lakers are doing.
The move to fall was Lance Stephenson, a guy who has history against James in the playoffs before going at one another. Why they would pair these two together puzzled everyone, but it was reported that James recruited Stephenson to Los Angeles.
The reason is that of the toughness that Stephenson shows when he’s on the court. He doesn’t let anyone take advantage of him or his team and never backs down from any challenge that sits in front of him.
That is the type of players that LeBron James wants to be on his team. Another guy that the Lakers signed and is similar is Rajon Rondo.
Rondo is a good playmaker, also has a history of playing against James in the playoffs and again won’t back down from a challenge.
LA also added a big in JaVale McGee, who has championship experience by winning the last two titles with the Warriors and will bring some toughness in as well.
Besides McGee, the Lakers are trying to get guys to can create their own offense and like McGee in this instant, guys who can defend.
One thing to also look at as well, all these guys are signed to one-year deals. That means the Lakers are keeping their options open for 2019 and will have the flexibility to add another max free agent.
Missed free agent opportunities
Although the Lakers have landed the King, the Lakers could have landed a couple of stars on this team as well. The big one that almost everyone thought the Lakers would land is Paul George. Throughout this past season, everyone thought the Lakers would have PG in the bag and could potentially team up with James.
PG instead opted to re-sign with the Thunder and didn’t even give the Lakers a chance to convince him otherwise.
Was this part of the plan for something bigger down the line? Possibly, but George is one of the best two-way players in the game and would have fit great next to James.
Another player that the Lakers missed on was DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins, when healthy, is one of the best big men in the NBA.
The fact that he was able to get signed for only the mid-level exception and the Lakers didn’t get him is wild to think especially to the team that he went to, the Warriors.
The Lakers felt that they needed him for the beginning of the season and felt that they could not wait until he fully recovers from his torn Achilles injury in January.
Cousins would’ve been a perfect fit for the Lakers as he can create his own offense, rebound and brings another level of toughness that the Lakers are looking for.
George is one thing, but if they had a chance to add Cousins to this team for only the mid-level and decide to pass him up, that’s a tough pill to swallow for Laker fans.
Potential moves in the future
All the key free agents are off the board now but there will be a big name available in the coming weeks and his name Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony and the Thunder are parting ways and are in the process of either a trade and release or being bought out of his contract. Once he is a free agent, the Lakers will definitely be an option.
He adds something that the Lakers are looking for; someone who can create their own offense and that fits Melo’s game perfectly. That’s what made him famous in the NBA.
The fact that LeBron is on the team now also helps as they are great friends and hang out off the court as well.
However, with the team currently constructed, would Melo be willing to come off the bench and have more of a limited role than what he is used?
Brook Lopez remains a free agent as well. He would provide a center that the Lakers need at the moment, can space the floor which would fit great next to James.
The big name that is constantly being talked about is Kawhi Leonard. Can the Lakers and Spurs figure out a way that works out for every party to get a deal done and bring in Leonard to team up with James?
When healthy, Leonard is a top-five player in the league and is the best defender in the league as well. He would add another superstar that the Lakers need to be on the way to being able to compete with the Warriors.
The Lakers would need to add another star next to James and potentially Leonard in order to have a better chance at the Warriors. Adding a healthy Leonard would make the Lakers at least a top-three team in the Western Conference that is loaded.
Final grade and wrap-up
Listen, when any team adds the best player in the world in free agency, you automatically get at least an A. This grade would’ve been an A+ if the Lakers landed Paul George and or Demarcus Cousins.
Since they didn’t, that brings their grade down to an A-. However, bringing KCP back and getting Rondo and Stephenson, guys who can create offense for others and themselves is what the Lakers needed for this team to compete with the rest of the Western Conference.
Therefore, it brings the Lakers grade to an A and thereby takes the Lakers back to relevance and makes the NBA better. When the Lakers are good, the NBA is even better.
When the team is finally put together, this Laker team will be fun to watch when the season finally begins again.
Next: Complete 2018 NBA Draft First Round Grades
Final Grade: A