Conclusion
The Los Angeles Lakers will take a long hard look at the roster this off-season.
The long hard look is made easier by the fact that they won the championship this past season and in a way, it might make them think that not much if anything needs to be changed this off-season in order to be title contenders next year.
That would be a mistake of epic proportions to rest on their laurels and hope for another title next season.
With Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors getting healthy, with an ever-improving Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and the remaining threat of Giannis and the Bucks, Kawhi and the Clippers and the new foe in Kevin Durant and Kyrie in Brooklyn, the road to the NBA title will be a much more difficult one next season.
Yes, it costs the Lakers a player in Kyle Kuzma who still has untapped potential and a reliable starting center in JaVale McGee but the Lakers are capable of plugging these positions and potentially upgrading via free agency to fill these needs.
The Lakers could offer someone like Danilo Gallinari the MLE to replace Kuzma. Gallinari would help the 5th need in terms of 3-point shooting and the purple and gold could also bring in Kyle Korver in order to continue to stack the roster with 3-point shooters With JaVale McGee, the Lakers could reach out to DeMarcus Cousins once again and hope he stays healthy. Being good friends with Anthony Davis, Cousins could come in and replace McGee.
Automatically the Lakers replace Kuzma and McGee with upgrades which could drastically help the roster.
Rose is cost-effective, proven, doesn’t require the Lakers to exhaust all of their trade assets to get him, he gives the Lakers a 3rd scorer and secondary playmaker and his contract does not get in the way of the Lakers pursuit of Giannis next season.
Across the board a win for the purple and gold.
With the Lakers having shown interest in Derrick Rose previously, this off-season may be the time to renew said interest and bring in a player who fills in a number of needs for the purple and gold going into the 2020-21 NBA season.