Los Angeles Lakers: Who will become the next great Laker?

With all due respect to Dion Waiters, he is not the game-changing free agent that the Los Angeles Lakers will potentially need in the next few years to stay an NBA title contender.

Why worry about free agency within the next few years?

LeBron James is the latest, great free-agent acquisition of the Lakers who has led the Lakers to title-contention status. While still the reigning “King” of the NBA, LeBron James is also 35 years old.

Observing LeBron’s play alongside Anthony Davis in helping lead the Lakers rise to the top of the Western Conference during the 2019-20 regular season, it has become apparent that LeBron will defer, as his league assist totals will attest.

LeBron adjusting his role to a Magic Johnson-type role at this point in his career will ultimately extend his career because the strain of needing to be a top scorer will decrease. Though Magic could do it all if need be, having two top scorers in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy helped Magic to stay at an elite level until his unexpected retirement in 1991.

So who will be LeBron’s Abdul-Jabbar and Worthy to potentially lead the Los Angeles Lakers to future championships? Anthony Davis is one impact player, but with the Lakers’ history of winning and the bevy of picks going to New Orleans, getting one in the draft is highly unlikely.

Below are three players who would best fit with the Los Angeles Lakers once they “potentially” become available within the next two years.

Donovan Mitchell (Qualifying Offer in 2021):

I’ve never been to Utah, but everyone I’ve spoken to who has visited or was raised there raves about its natural beauty, cleanliness and the fan’s devotion to the team and its players. While Utah may be beautiful, its contract situation can become potentially ugly in 2021. Rudy Gobert will become an unrestricted free agent who’s eligible for the supermax while Mitchell will be up for a max contract.

Gobert and Mitchell are two max-level talents, but will Utah pay to keep both? Will Mitchell want to stay if Utah levels out as a first or second-round playoff team? If one of those questions has a “no” for an answer, a high pick-and-roll game with AD while running the wing with LeBron would be a beautiful sight in La La Land!!

Bradley Beal (Player Option in 2022):

As a DMV resident and Washington Wizards fan, I would love for Bradley Beal and John Wall to right the Wizards ship and lead them to long-term prominence. Watching Beal’s game evolve from a shooter with unsure handles to an aggressive assassin has been a development to behold!! Beal is a proud, loyal man who wants to be part of the Wizards breakthrough as a leading man.

However, if Beal becomes frustrated with the progress of the Wizards, he could put up close to his career-high numbers 2019-20 at a much more efficient rate besides Anthony Davis and LeBron James. LeBron James Magic Johnson-like game will be a perfect match for Beal’s maturing aggressive offensive nature.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (UFA in 2021):

As the reigning MVP who is again the leading man on a title contender, he’s averaging almost a point/minute!?! Let’s not forget that Anthony Davis had Milwaukee on his shortlist of preferred teams in his trade request given to New Orleans.

But what if Milwaukee flames out in the Eastern Conference playoffs again? In an even worse case for Milwaukee, what if they never get the chance to “flame out” or make it all the way to the NBA Finals with their current standing as the top-seeded?

Imagine an interchangeable hi-post game with Davis and Giannis. Envision the defensive terror two athletic, willing, very long defenders will deliver to the rest of the league. Picture a Showtime-style break with LeBron leading and either Giannis or Davis finishing. Shooters will wait in line for an opportunity to play for the Lakers!!

As long as the Los Angeles Lakers has LeBron and AD, they will be a glamour team. But as LeBron ages, who will be the next marquee player to help make them a championship team?