Los Angeles Lakers: Free-agent signings aren’t needed to improve bench

With a starting lineup virtually set for next season, the Los Angeles Lakers will focus on other areas for improvement.

The Los Angeles Lakers certainly expect to remain the best team in the NBA and win another ring next year. But with limited cap space, an upcoming poor market, and big plans in motion for next summer, they could end up with little chances to improve their current roster for the 2020/21 season.

Anyway, the team has a chance to make another jump from last year without making any addition.

Especially the bench, one of the best in the playoffs, projects to be even better than what we saw in these playoffs.

Provided that everyone opts to return for another run and the front office brings back every member of this championship team (notions already in doubt), LA’s bench will get some boost from in-home properties.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

For starters, Avery Bradley‘s return and reinstatement in the starting lineup would mean bog things for the Lakers.

Besides the obvious contribution of a great veteran, his comeback at Staples Center would involve moving Kentavious Caldwell-Pope back to the bench.

KCP was a full-time starter in the playoffs, as Bradley refused to join the bubble. He was a major contributor in the lineup, the third-leading scorer behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

He was also the best three-point shooter of the team among players with at least four attempts per game, sporting a good 37.8 percent. Furthermore, one of the best defenders, getting assigned to tough players like C.J. McCollum and Russell Westbrook throughout the playoffs.

His presence would immediately revitalize the bench with a talented baller who proved to be a starting-caliber player. Someone who, despite all the struggle in these years, stepped up and answered the call in the most important moment of his Laker career.