Los Angeles Lakers: Grading the “Suicide Squad” deals that followed LeBron James

How did the Los Angeles Lakers fare with their signings following LeBron James? We hand out some grades for the “Suicide Squad” signings.

I just want to start off by saying it again that the Los Angeles Lakers signed LeBron James. The Lakers signed the best basketball player in the world during the 2018 offseason, so their overall free agency is automatically a success.

However, the team almost immediately commenced an onslaught of puzzling signings to round out their team once they secured the biggest piece in LeBron.

I won’t be discussing him here, but the first to be signed was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who seemed to be a packaged deal with his fellow Klutch Sports member, LeBron. The players who followed have given the Lakers a couple nicknames: “Suicide Squad” and “The Meme Team”.

The players signed following LeBron and KCP were JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, and recently, Michael Beasley. The four players have been known for wild and surreal moments on the basketball court in addition to having some of the most colorful personalities in a league that isn’t short of personality.

They aren’t coming here for fun and games, though, as they’ll be tasked to help a team that is very young even with these “Suicide Squad” veterans and LeBron being added. Many are doubting the Lakers’ championship chances in the 2018-19, but either way, that’s the goal for these individuals.

We’ll see if these acquisitions work out in the end. If they don’t they’re all on one-year deals and can be let go after the season. For now, let’s grade the moves given their performance last season and how well they’ll fit around LeBron and the young guns.