Who should the Lakers try to sign?
There are two scenarios at play right now:
- Kawhi Leonard joins the Lakers.
- Leonard inks a deal with the Raptors or Clippers.
Let’s explore the Lakers best lineup option if Kawhi accepts an offer to play for the Lakers:
Starters:
- PG: T.J. McConnell
- SG: Kawhi Leonard
- SF: LeBron James
- PF: Anthony Davis
- C: Willie Cauley-Stein
Reserves:
- Rajon Rondo
- Troy Daniels
- Andre Iguodala
- Kyle Kuzma
- JaVale McGee
This is a great roster, but the Lakers would have the worst point guard rotation in the league and LA would have no shooting from the center position.
In this scenario the Lakers would spend all of their cap space on Kawhi Leonard, therefore LA would only have the midlevel exception and minimum contracts to use to add players.
The Lakers would love to sign Delon Wright or Tyus Jones to start at point guard, but both players are restricted free agents and it’d be almost impossible for the Lakers to pry one of them away from their respective teams with a minimum contract offer.
Likewise, LA would like to sign Danny Green to play shooting guard, but it’s naïve to think that he’d play for the midlevel exception when he’s 32 years old and looking for one final high grossing contract.
Moving on, the Lakers should be able to take advantage of other teams lack of money and interest in Willie Cauley-Stein and then sign him to the midlevel exception. Then, everyone else on the team (outside of LBJ, AD, Kuzma, and Kawhi) would play for the Purple and Gold on minimum contracts.
Here’s the Lakers closing lineup:
- Andre Iguodala
- Kawhi Leonard
- LeBron James
- Kyle Kuzma
- Anthony Davis
That 5-man unit would be the best ever assembled in the NBA and the odds on favorite to win the championship.
Here’s the Lakers best remaining 10-man lineup option if Kawhi doesn’t sign with LA.
Starters:
- PG: Delon Wright
- SG: Danny Green
- SF: LeBron James
- PF: JaMychal Green
- C: Anthony Davis
Reserves:
- PG: T.J. McConnell
- SG: Troy Daniels
- SF: Andre Iguodala
- PF: Kyle Kuzma
- C: Willie Cauley-Stein
This scenario isn’t as good as the first one, but this is still a championship caliber lineup.
If Leonard doesn’t join the Lakers, Rob Pelinka will have $32 million to play with. He’d be able to sign steal Delon Wright away from the Grizzlies, he’d be able to offer Danny Green a 3-year, $30 million contract and he’d still be able to offer JaMychal Green and Willie Cauley-Stein more money than any other team in the association.
If this situation plays out the Lakers will have this closing lineup:
- LeBron James
- Danny Green
- Andre Iguodala
- JaMychal Green
- Anthony Davis
This team would also be the favorite to win the championship.
Either way, Lakers fans don’t need to panic just because many of the best free agents have already signed with another team. LA can still build a great roster.