Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles might not pursue another star player
By Nick Ziegler
Recent Lakers rumors are that they might end up pursuing role players with their cap space rather than another star.
After the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans agreed to a blockbuster deal that will send Anthony Davis to the Lakers, there have been plenty of Lakers rumors about what will be next.
While this deal is not official yet, the Lakers are certainly planning for what’s next. What the team doesn’t know, is exactly how much money they will have to spend in free agency. Depending on when the trade is completed and whether or not Davis takes his trade kicker could determine how much money the Lakers have to spend.
According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, the Lakers are preparing to pursue another max level player, and also going with the role player route.
"The Lakers right now are operating on both fronts. They still hope to chase max players such as Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard, sources say. They also have begun discussing players expected to fetch somewhere in that $10 million-plus range, sources say."
Seeing that the Lakers potentially have some options is certainly good. The cost of getting Anthony Davis was certainly not cheap, but with him and LeBron James, another free agent might be willing to take less than the max in order to join a team that could compete for an NBA Championship.
If they are unable to get another max player, they will have cap space to fill out the roster with some good role players. As we have seen in previous years, veterans looking for a ring might be willing to come to Los Angeles on the cheap to chase a ring.
A lot of the Lakers’ plans will ultimately be decided when they know how much money they have to spend. More than likely, they would like to add a third-star player to create a new Big 3 in Los Angeles. However, filling out a balanced roster with two stars in Davis and James isn’t an awful plan B.
Next. 5 Concerns about the Anthony Davis trade. dark
When the trade becomes official, the Lakers will likely figure out what their next step will be. Until then, they should be preparing for multiple scenarios.