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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 moves that would derail LA’s offseason

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 27: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers while playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on December 27, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty aImages License Agreement. Lakers won 127-91.(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 27: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers while playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on December 27, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty aImages License Agreement. Lakers won 127-91.(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. The Los Angeles Lakers do not sign a top-tier MLE player

The Los Angeles Lakers have to utilize every cap trick in the book this offseason in order to field a complete and competitive team. That is why a Schroder sign-and-trade is important, why the Bird Rights on the upcoming free agents are important and why the mid-level exception is massively important.

The Los Angeles Lakers have the non-taxpayer MLE this offseason, meaning they can offer that $9.5 million salary this season for a contract up to four years (with a raise each year). In a perfect offseason, the Lakers would land a better MLE player because of their contending status.

Evan Fournier was named our dream MLE signing in our dream offseason article as he would add a legitimate three and D presence to the team. The Lakers should absolutely lean into their defensive identity but should also add shooters. Fournier adds just that.

The worry is that Fournier, and players similar to him, get big offers from teams with cap space. Luckily, not that many teams have cap space and with the cap not growing as much as expected two years ago some teams do not have as much space as they planned for.

That could keep the market down on some of these fringe MLE signings and make them true MLE signings, but that does not guarantee that they will go with the Lakers.

Any non-taxpaying team (a high percentage of the league) can offer the exact same offer that the Los Angeles Lakers can. They have no advantage other than their status. You hope that convinces a player to go with the Lakers over another team, but you truly never know.

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How we feel about the MLE signing at the end of the offseason could be indicative of how the offseason as a whole went. Just keep that in mind.

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