The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves at a crossroads this offseason, with numerous roster questions and the future of their star player, LeBron James, hanging in the balance. While James has hinted at the possibility of retirement, it appears likely that he will remain with the Lakers due to various compelling factors. These factors include the opportunity to play alongside his talented son and the substantial sum of $100 million he would leave on the table if he were to walk away.
Assuming James stays, the Lakers’ front office must contemplate whether to pursue another superstar to complement James and Anthony Davis or maintain the existing roster that reached the Western Conference Finals.
The Lakers had previously attempted to assemble a Big Three with their failed pursuit of Kawhi Leonard in 2019 when they traded for Anthony Davis. They made another move by trading Danny Green and their No. 28 pick for Dennis Schroder, addressing their ball-handling issues temporarily, ultimately leading to Russell Westbrook’s acquisition in 2021.
Reports suggest that the Lakers intend to retain as many current players as possible. They would only consider adding a third star if they believe that player will seamlessly fit alongside James and Davis. If they choose the latter route, the team will likely prioritize acquiring a skilled ball handler. Possible targets could include Kyrie Irving, Fred VanVleet, or Trae Young.
Adding such an upgrade would undoubtedly elevate the Lakers’ chances of contending for a championship next season, considering their commendable performance in the current season.
Is Kyrie Irving An Option?
Kyrie Irving is speculated to be the most feasible option, although it would be a challenging deal to execute. Ideally, the Lakers would obtain Irving via a sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks.
However, according to Tim Cato of The Athletic, the Mavericks are unlikely to cooperate and assist any other team in acquiring Irving, despite holding an appealing offer. Cato suggests that the Mavericks should candidly communicate their desired contract terms to Irving and emphasize their intentions to re-sign him.
While adding Irving would undoubtedly boost the Lakers’ championship odds next season on the best betting apps for NBA fans, obtaining Irving would impose a hard cap on the Lakers and potentially necessitate the departure of key players.
The sign-and-trade scenario necessitates Irving accepting a significant pay cut to join the Lakers, and indications suggest that he is unwilling to do so. Given the financial losses Irving endured during the COVID-19 shutdown, it is understandable that he would be hesitant to leave additional money on the table. Additionally, the Lakers must create cap space by significantly trimming their roster.
While the possibility of a reunion between Irving and James remains until Irving signs with the Mavericks or another team, insiders view such an outcome as highly unlikely due to the substantial logistical hurdles the Lakers would face in facilitating such an acquisition.
Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley
Players like Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley are likely on the hot seat and could be traded. Meanwhile, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Christie will likely remain on the roster.
With Bamba earning $10.3 million and Beasley owed another $16.5 million, the Lakers could be dangerously close to the $150 million salary cap with just eight players. This calculation does not even account for the potential salaries of D’Angelo Russell, Lonnie Walker, and Dennis Schroder.
Although Russell is anticipated to return, his comeback is not a foregone conclusion, as the Lakers will explore their options and weigh their alternatives. While the Lakers would prefer to retain
Schroder, they can only offer him a first-year salary of up to $3.8 million due to his non-bird rights. However, they could utilize one of their midlevel exceptions, limiting them to a maximum of $5 million.
The Lakers organization will navigate these complex roster questions as the offseason progresses, striving to assemble a competitive team capable of contending for an NBA championship in the upcoming season.
