Best-possible and most-suited top free agent targets for Los Angeles Lakers
Heading into the 2019 offseason, the Lakers got a huge start by finally reaching a deal for Anthony Davis. Under tremendous pressure, Rob Pelinka came out fighting when he pulled of the trade. His victory is spoiled by the realization that they do not have enough cap room left now. The free agency has not even happened yet. The Los Angeles Lakers have been mismanaged for multiple years now. After missing the postseason for six straight years; a franchise long drought, the team entering one of the most important off-seasons in the history of the franchise this summer. They have almost no trade chips left. The free agency market is the most feasible route. At this point the Lakers are most focused on whatever gives you the highest ceiling, regardless of how low or unsteady the floor might be.
The Maslow hierarchy for a player who has signed with an NBA team would look as below:
Frequently, we have seen players sacrifice a lower tier to reach the higher level. Last season, Zach Randolph stayed with Kings bench for the money till he was waived by the Mavericks. Demarcus Cousins took lesser pay and Marc Gasol waived his trade kicker for the chance to win a championship. LeBron and Kawhi Leonard moved out of contenders in Cleveland and San Antonio respectively for their legacy and happiness. As the ignominious 2016 MVP voting showed, playing in a big market brings disproportionate recognition.
For more than six months, ESPN has shown the following list of top potential players this off season.
CBS Sports article has a list which includes the players in the picture above. Hoops Rumors also does a good job with profiling and tracking the Top Free Agents. I will use a combined list to see which top potential Free agents the Lakers can target.
In the opening move of the offseason, the Lakers have claimed their place among the top contenders in NBA again. When we talk of the players who would like to play with Lebron James and Anthony Davis, we will use the list and the ordering as defined above.
Also, this is only applicable to Kemba Walker, who was named to the All-NBA third team as he heads into his first time being a free agent. The Charlotte Hornets have the ability to offer him a five-year, $221 million-dollar contract, which would be $80 million dollars more than any other team can offer him. When he says he is open to taking less than supermax from Hornets, the $80 million dollars comes into play. If Kemba feels he needs more money after taking a discount in his previous contract and Michael Jordan offers him the money, he will stay in Charlotte.
Also, look at the ESPN chart of Potential Free Agents Next year.
Anthony Davis is on top of the list. He will need to be paid his max contract next year. The Lakers have several roster spots to fill up, mostly with cheap veteran additions. They need to look at solid starters; fringe sixth-man candidates and potential third or fourth options on a championship team. With James going into his age-35 season and a fan base foaming at the mouth for a postseason return, only the first step is done. The superstars are here, now it is time for players who can support them. These players aren’t needed to lead Lakers to a championship, but they have to play an essential part to it filling the above needs. I have complied a full roster size list of 15 players who would fit the Lakers situation the most. This is not a list of players who can be had at bargain. Some of them have to be paid more, but their production and the cap space that would still be remaining makes those contracts a great fit.
The Lakers landed a superstar to pair with the one they already had. With most of the major deals being made within the first 48 hours of free agency, they have to find great supporting pieces at a reasonable price to be title contenders next season. They will be happy with accomplishing that most difficult step first, and figuring the rest out later. Considering that this summer may rival 2010 in terms of the amount of NBA talent on the move, the 2020 favorites in the NBA will be determined in the next few weeks.
The Maslow hierarchy for a player who has signed with an NBA team would look as below:
Frequently, we have seen players sacrifice a lower tier to reach the higher level. Last season, Zach Randolph stayed with Kings bench for the money till he was waived by the Mavericks. Demarcus Cousins took lesser pay and Marc Gasol waived his trade kicker for the chance to win a championship. LeBron and Kawhi Leonard moved out of contenders in Cleveland and San Antonio respectively for their legacy and happiness. As the ignominious 2016 MVP voting showed, playing in a big market brings disproportionate recognition.
For more than six months, ESPN has shown the following list of top potential players this off season.
CBS Sports article has a list which includes the players in the picture above. Hoops Rumors also does a good job with profiling and tracking the Top Free Agents. I will use a combined list to see which top potential Free agents the Lakers can target.
| Player | Age | POS | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kawhi Leonard | 27 | F | PO |
| Kevin Durant | 30 | F | PO |
| Kyrie Irving | 27 | G | UFA |
| Kemba Walker | 29 | G | UFA |
| Klay Thompson | 29 | G | UFA |
| Kristaps Porzingis | 23 | F | RFA |
| Jimmy Butler | 29 | G | UFA |
| Tobias Harris | 26 | F | UFA |
| Khris Middleton | 27 | F | PO |
| Nikola Vucevic | 28 | C | UFA |
| D'Angelo Russell | 23 | G | RFA |
| JJ Redick | 34 | G | UFA |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 28 | C | UFA |
| Malcolm Brogdon | 26 | G | RFA |
| Al Horford | 33 | C | UFA |
| Marc Gasol | 34 | C | PO |
| Bojan Bogdanovic | 30 | F | UFA |
| Julius Randle | 24 | F | UFA |
| Brook Lopez | 31 | C | UFA |
| DeAndre Jordan | 30 | C | UFA |
| Nikola Mirotic | 28 | F | UFA |
| Harrison Barnes | 27 | F | PO |
| Eric Bledsoe | 29 | G | UFA |
| Terry Rozier | 25 | G | RFA |
Criterion: No Ring-bearers (Championship winners)
Players who already have a championship will not want to join this team. Legacy is not built by playing as the third or lower option under a dysfunctional front office. There is also the issue of the demanding spectator base of fanatics. That removes all Champions from the consideration set.| Player | Age | POS | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kemba Walker | 29 | G | UFA |
| Kristaps Porzingis | 23 | F | RFA |
| Jimmy Butler | 29 | G | UFA |
| Tobias Harris | 26 | F | UFA |
| Khris Middleton | 27 | F | PO |
| Nikola Vucevic | 28 | C | UFA |
| D'Angelo Russell | 23 | G | RFA |
| JJ Redick | 34 | G | UFA |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 28 | C | UFA |
| Malcolm Brogdon | 26 | G | RFA |
| Al Horford | 33 | C | UFA |
| Bojan Bogdanovic | 30 | F | UFA |
| Julius Randle | 24 | F | UFA |
| Brook Lopez | 31 | C | UFA |
| DeAndre Jordan | 30 | C | UFA |
| Nikola Mirotic | 28 | F | UFA |
| Harrison Barnes | 27 | F | PO |
| Eric Bledsoe | 29 | G | UFA |
| Terry Rozier | 25 | G | RFA |
Criterion 2: No Forwards
With LeBron, Anthony and Kyle Kuzma, the starting forward needs are taken care of. All the players above are starters. So, we have short list of 10 (with five from ESPN's image above)| Player | Age | POS | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kemba Walker | 29 | G | UFA |
| Jimmy Butler | 29 | G | UFA |
| Nikola Vucevic | 28 | C | UFA |
| D'Angelo Russell | 23 | G | RFA |
| JJ Redick | 34 | G | UFA |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 28 | C | UFA |
| Malcolm Brogdon | 26 | G | RFA |
| Al Horford | 33 | C | UFA |
| Brook Lopez | 31 | C | UFA |
| DeAndre Jordan | 30 | C | UFA |
| Eric Bledsoe | 29 | G | UFA |
| Terry Rozier | 25 | G | RFA |
Other Softer Criteria
Supermax Contract
Only four players have signed a supermax contract since it was made available two seasons ago. Anthony Davis rejected his supermax eligibility to come to the Lakers. So, this is not a hard condition applicable to all players.Also, this is only applicable to Kemba Walker, who was named to the All-NBA third team as he heads into his first time being a free agent. The Charlotte Hornets have the ability to offer him a five-year, $221 million-dollar contract, which would be $80 million dollars more than any other team can offer him. When he says he is open to taking less than supermax from Hornets, the $80 million dollars comes into play. If Kemba feels he needs more money after taking a discount in his previous contract and Michael Jordan offers him the money, he will stay in Charlotte.
Fit with the team needs
The current Laker squad of 3 players has two main needs.- 3 and D players; Snipers who can play defence and shoot; spot up or running shot.
- Big Men who can block. Taller than 6 foot 10 inch (Anthony) similar to JaVale McGee who put up distinguished numbers and had his best season playing alongside LeBron.
That removes Al Horford. Floor spacing is valuable, especially at the center position and Brook Lopez was one of the very best this season at that job, averaging 36.5% from 3-point territory on just over six attempts. On top of his shooting, Brook is also a solid rim protector, allowing a 52.6 DFG%, fourth in the entire NBA last season. This native of California deserves a huge payday this offseason. Earvin Johnson Jr.'s mis-management of player personnel decisions is well known. His recent apology for his decisions is not enough. It is hardly proportional to the damage that the Brook Lopez decision alone has done to this franchise.
Lakers Cap situation
So, after the dreams of having the above top available players playing for Lakers, is the realization. The timing of the trade as currently constructed hinders the Lakers ability to sign a max free agent. The Lakers cannot afford any of the above players if they want a Championship in the next 3 years. This management group; with the notorious nine-member panel, has made a complete mess of their opportunity to improve on player personnel decisions. Their coaching staff is led by men who were not working in NBA the last season. With Magic Johnson gone, they have also lost their best recruiter of good players. Lakers may not be at the top of free agents’ preferences and like Adam Silver mentioned, 40% of players are going to be free agents. As it currently stands, the Lakers have just five players under contract for the 2019-20 NBA season. It is an interesting choice that they were able to hold onto Kyle Kuzma. Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball are arguably better two-way options for future if and when they recover from their health issues. This shows the Win-Now mental frame.Also, look at the ESPN chart of Potential Free Agents Next year.
Anthony Davis is on top of the list. He will need to be paid his max contract next year. The Lakers have several roster spots to fill up, mostly with cheap veteran additions. They need to look at solid starters; fringe sixth-man candidates and potential third or fourth options on a championship team. With James going into his age-35 season and a fan base foaming at the mouth for a postseason return, only the first step is done. The superstars are here, now it is time for players who can support them. These players aren’t needed to lead Lakers to a championship, but they have to play an essential part to it filling the above needs. I have complied a full roster size list of 15 players who would fit the Lakers situation the most. This is not a list of players who can be had at bargain. Some of them have to be paid more, but their production and the cap space that would still be remaining makes those contracts a great fit.
- Darren Collison
A California native. Darren is a ~40% shooter from 3 and averages six assists and fewer than 2 turnovers per game. He’s a solid player, a decent defender, and fully capable of running offense in a pinch. Darren will be 32 entering the 2019-2020 season, he should command a salary of $6-8M in the form of a multi-year contract. - Dewayne Dedmon
An adequate defender, Dewayne has transformed his game into an excellent 3-point shooter. In 2018-19, Dedmon shot 38.2 percent from long range while posting 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 25.1 minutes per game. He would be a great pick if the Lakers sign him for around 3 years and $15-20 million. - Patrick Beverley
Patrick is, on paper, the perfect point guard for the trio. He is an excellent 3-point shooter(0.38) and defender. He can slot in nicely as the fourth or fifth scoring option in the starting rotation. - Seth Curry
Seth Curry attempted more three point shots last year and had a higher success rate too at 45.0 percent . He is red-hot from 3 points range and will thrive with the existing trio and more open shots. His age and skill set will play well with the Lakers team. - Enes Kanter
The Lakers target from last season, Enes resurrected his career in Portland. He still doesn't play defense, but can provide the Lakers a go-to scoring option off the bench - Austin Rivers
Austin is a versatile defender who can guard basically 3 positions at a competent level. Every time he’s on the floor, he will give tremendous effort and project confidence. Also, he knows to knock down open shots. Austin is a scrappy player, and can give the Lakers some physicality and defensive versatility as a backup guard. - Nerlens Noel
A dynamic defensive big-man, with an ability to guard both on the perimeter and in the paint. Like JaVale McGee last year, Nerlens has earned the right to get a chance at being a starter. - Jose Calderon
At 37 years old and heading into his age 38 season, the former Laker may be available at a one-year minimum contract. Jose has to be the glue player on the clubhouse who is there to demonstrate professionalism. He is a depth player who could provide some shooting off the bench. - Quinn Cook
Quinn Cook brings the ability to spread the floor and make 3s coming from the bench in big games. He is a restricted free agent this year and the Warriors will have early Bird rights. He is not a pesky defender but a very good perimeter shooter and would be a boon to LA’s offense. - Troy Daniels
Troy is a certified shooter. Like Quinn Cook, he has limitations defensively as a shooting guard with a small frame. He’s also been on bad teams for the last 3 seasons and a winning situation might be a welcome change if he gets ~ 4M in the form of a multi-year contract - Reggie Bullock
Reggie Bullock is a prototypical 3 and D player who is the ideal teammate to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Reggie is coming off some of the best basketball of his career and entering his prime years. He is a full Bird free agent they need only commit $4.8 million in cap space to doing so. Anything beyond that number has no bearing on their cap. - Ivica Zubac
One of the reasons why the Lakers threatened to be a good playoff last year was that their center position was no longer a weakness as it was perceived going into the season. The Lakers center rotation of JaVale McGee, Tyson Chandler and Ivica provided tremendous value last year. Of the 3, Ivica will be the most affordable and available. He is a restricted free agent this year. - Robin Lopez
Robin Lopez hinted back in January that he wants to be on a playoff contender. He was strongly linked with a move to the Warriors and can make a veteran impact for the Lakers. Brook's contract will be unaffordable, can we get his brother instead at a mid level exception? - Jared Dudley
Jared Dudley is a constant communicator, a quick thinker and an irritating defender who also makes a lot of 3-point shots. The 34-year-old is looking to play for a champion and would offer his vocal leadership both on and off the court.
Break in case of emergency
These will be the players who can be dragged out back into NBA if the Lakers strike out in Free agency. 40% of players are free agents this year, there is a lot of money that players can earn. These are players who are much better options at minimum contracts than others at the asking prices.The Lakers landed a superstar to pair with the one they already had. With most of the major deals being made within the first 48 hours of free agency, they have to find great supporting pieces at a reasonable price to be title contenders next season. They will be happy with accomplishing that most difficult step first, and figuring the rest out later. Considering that this summer may rival 2010 in terms of the amount of NBA talent on the move, the 2020 favorites in the NBA will be determined in the next few weeks.
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