Few storylines have captured as many headlines as the absence of headlines generated by the Los Angeles Lakers. It's been a quiet offseason from Rob Pelinka and company, with only three major roster changes: The hiring of JJ Redick, and the drafting of Dalton Knecht and Bronny James.
All three moves are worth discussing, but it's Los Angeles' inactivity in free agency that has managed to capture the most attention.
Despite the fact that LeBron James is approaching his age-40 season, the Lakers have thus far not signed a single new player. It's a rather shocking course of action considering the sense of urgency James has to win another title and the fact that Los Angeles lost in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Lakers aren't the only team worried about the ramifications of going above the second apron.
"Organizations around the NBA are horrified of surpassing the newly minted second apron, a payroll threshold that, if reached, wipes away nearly any tool a group trying to improve could want. It’s not just about tax dollars anymore. A team above the second apron cannot make most types of trades or execute most types of free-agent signings. Draft picks get dinged."
Considering the 2024 period of free agency has been generally quiet all around, it certainly makes sense that there's a consistent informing the general course of action.
Salary cap rules informing Lakers decision-making in 2024
The Lakers are somewhere in between building for the future and accepting the consequences of past decisions. It's not a permanent stasis, but a temporary example of how the NBA's new salary cap rules intend to create a more rigid team-building structure.
Thought to prevent the creation of big threes, the rules have perhaps inadvertently deterred teams from spending on high-level role players, as well.
Los Angeles is a shining example of that, as it backed off from a number of affordable options in free agency. That includes point guard Tyus Jones, who recently signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Phoenix Suns—a figure the Lakers could've afforded.
Doing so could've had salary cap implications, however, and may have thus influenced the decision to let him go to a rival instead.
Los Angeles is in a better place than some, of course, as Anthony Davis and James were both named All-NBA in 2023-24. Furthermore, key defenders such as Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent played a combined 40 games last season and are expected to be back at 100 percent in 2024-25.
The addition of Knecht could also have an immediate impact, as the reigning SEC Player of the Year enters the NBA with three-level scoring ability and an impressive jump shot.
Regardless, the ramifications of the new salary cap rules have prevented the Lakers from making a splash with immediate implications. It's been a steady theme across the NBA at large, but few organizations epitomize the reluctance to go into the second apron quite like Los Angeles.
It's reassuring that the Lakers aren't alone in their rationale, but it continues to paint a disconcerting picture for how the 2024-25 could play out.