The Los Angeles Lakers, who currently have 14 of their 15 standard roster spots filled (including 3-and-D shooting guard Max Christie, who reportedly is inking a four-season, $32 million deal with L.A. once the free agency signing moratorium ends on July 6), will need to make trades if they want to open up multiple spots to accomodate new players.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Los Angeles has looked into deals that could see the team offloading a variety of role players including starting point guard D’Angelo Russell (who picked up his $18.7 million player option), forward Jarred Vanderbilt (who’ll be making $10.7 million in 2024-25 on an ascending deal), Gabe Vincent ($11 million), and starting power forward Rui Hachimura ($17 million). Vanderbilt and Vincent are the team’s only plus defenders on the wing, so losing either of them would hopefully only happen in order for the t
eam to upgrade with healthier help in terms of perimeter defense…
The Lakers need to make further moves to catch up with the Western Conference’s bigger, younger elite teams. The Dallas Mavericks, revamped Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets (even though Denver has now hemorrhaged two of its top six players from its 2023 championship team in successive offseasons) are all clearly better.
The L.A. Clippers, with Paul George now headed to the Philadelphia 76ers and an exorbitant $70 million owed to an aging James Harden over the next two seasons, have probably taken a step back and are below the Lakers in the conference’s hierarchy. The New Orleans Pelicans have improved this offseason and have pathways to getting even better, while the Memphis Grizzlies are expecting to be healthy. The Sacramento Kings remain a major threat.
Behind the Lakers and Clippers, clubs like the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors will remain at least competitive as frisky play-in contenders…
Leave a Reply