Los Angeles Lakers: What can we realistically expect this offseason?

The Los Angeles Lakers players

Player Options

Anthony Davis is almost a lock to sign a new deal with the Lakers once free agency opens. It would be a monster shock if signed with another organization.

JaVale McGee has a player option for next season, and like AD, it would be a massive surprise if we didn’t see him in purple and gold next year. He’ll almost certainly opt-in and run it back with the Lakers in 2021.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has announced he’ll opt-out of the final year of his contract. KCP could very well leave LA and sign with another squad. He surely understands that he just helped the Lakers win a title as their starting point guard. His value might never be higher than it is right now.

Caldwell-Pope is probably after a multi-year deal, something like a three-year, $45 million contract. He was solid throughout the playoffs, but a guy who averaged 10 points per game while clocking in with the worst defensive rating (110) out of any player in the Lakers rotation during the regular season isn’t worth that kind of money. There’s a good chance he’ll suit up for another team next season.

You could argue that Rajon Rondo was the Lakers’ third-best player during the 2020 playoffs. He genuinely helped the Purple and Gold win a title. Rondo assuredly thinks that a player of his caliber is worth more than a minimum contract. He’s correct.

Rondo opted out of his contract, but that doesn’t mean that the former Celtic wants to leave the Lakers. He’s probably dying to stay with LeBron James and Anthony Davis to chase another chip.

Rajon Rondo wants to be shown the respect he deserves. There’s an excellent chance Rob Pelinka will give Rondo a new deal that’s indicative of his value. Look for Rondo to stay with the Lakers for the next few seasons.

Avery Bradley is impossible to read right now. He hasn’t said a word about his plans for the offseason. Your guess about where he ends up playing next year is as good as mine.

Unrestricted free agents

JR Smith and Jared Dudley will not be back next season.  Both men are well past their primes, and there’s little chance they’ll land on another NBA team either.

Dion Waiters was a great addition in theory. In the real world, though, he didn’t work out for the Lakers. He was supposed to give the Purple and Gold another playmaking guard capable of getting his own shot and creating for his teammates.

Instead, he struggled on offense because of his lack of conditioning and a faulty outside stroke. On the less glamorous side of the ball, he was slower than a Division III basketball player.

You can convince yourself that Waiters needs the offseason to get back into game shape, but there’s a reason he’s floated around the league like a plastic bag stuck in the wind. He’s perpetually out of shape, and he often stalks the practice courts with a bad attitude. He’s not worth the risk for the Lakers.

Dwight Howard will garner interest across the league as an uber strong backup center capable of bothering the league’s best low post options. “Superman” could leave the Lakers for another contender, but why? He solidified his role on the Lakers throughout 2020, and Rob Pelinka has already said he wants to bring Dwight back. Look for the Lakers’ front office to come to a two-year agreement with Howard.

Markieff Morris played himself into a substantial pay raise during the playoffs. Similar to KCP, Morris will almost certainly try to leverage his postseason 3-and-D success with the Lakers into a multi-year deal that the Lakers won’t be able to match.

The Lakers should end up resigning:

• Anthony Davis
• Rajon Rondo
• Dwight Howard

And JaVale McGee should opt into the final year of his contract.