The Los Angeles Lakers have been known to find the same amount of talent at the mere fraction of the price!
Let’s assume Dennis Schroder signs somewhere else in free agency. Now what? The Lakers have to try and find ways to replicate his production. However Rob Pelinka and the front office have other challenges to deal with whether Dennis was a option or not.
Stop and listen to the potential challenges of the Lakers resigning players Bobby Marks discussed after the Andre Drummond signing about two weeks ago.
The Lakers can use the $20 million that they were going to pay Schroder annually to sign one OR a combination of these players that are a lot less expensive long-term.
Patty Mills:
The San Antonio Spurs are going to blow up that squad and go young after the season. LaMarcus Aldridge is already gone with DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay (Notice the list is getting larger right?) and most the veterans will follow him out the door.
Patty Mills will be a great replacement (DeRozan will get a bigger paycheck!) for Dennis Schroder.
Mills signed with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2012 and he has been a staple in Gregg Popovich’s rotation ever since. LeBron might know what championship production Mills can bring to the team. Patty was one of the strongest contributors off the bench when the Spurs smoked his Miami squad to win the 2014 NBA Championship. Mills is known for his three-point shooting (Career 38.9 percent!) and his leadership qualities, something a player needs to stick with a Spurs team as long as he has.
Patty Mills is at the end of a four year $50 million deal he signed back in 2017. Pelinka and company can easily get him for ten cents on the dollar compared to what Schroder wants.
Lou Williams:
Things worked out so well for Montrezl Harrell and the Lakers last year when the Clippers threw him under the bus for last year’s debacle, why not try again?
Lou Williams was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Rajon Rondo at the trade deadline. Williams was reportedly so blindsided by the deal that he almost retired on the spot.
Lou Williams is coming to the end of his three year, $24 million deal that was a complete bargain. Think about how much the Lakers could save on a player that is a walking bucket coming off the bench with a ton of playoff experience? It’s clear that Sweet Lou will be out of Atlanta by the offseason, so if he loves Los Angeles where he has roots, it helps in negotiations.
Plus bringing Lou could help convince Trezl to opt back into his deal and not test free agency.
Wayne Ellington:
Lake Show Life has covered the options of making deals for Wayne Ellington in the past…
- Los Angeles Lakers: Reasons for and against pursuing Wayne Ellington
- Los Angles Lakers should target Wayne Ellington in free agency
Now it makes perfect sense. One of the top priorities this summer will be cost efficient guys that can shoot and contribute immediately. Wayne Ellington checks the boxes. Ellington shoots career 38 percent from behind the arc. This includes the one season with the Lakers when he shot 37 percent. The Detroit Pistons will let him walk in the offseason and this is the perfect veteran’s minimum example right here.
Bottom line, the Lakers will have plenty of cheaper options in free agency that they could replace the production Schroder leaves behind. Sure Dennis Schroder is a very good player but can be easily be flipped for assets and financial flexibility.
Oh, it gets better. These are just the potential players the team can get in the future. It’s not like the Los Angeles Lakers don’t have players on the roster. Read on and let’s discuss these two!