After a series of moves, the Los Angeles Lakers will head into free agency with enough cap space to pursue max-level free agents like Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving.
After a difficult finish to the 2018-2019 NBA season that saw the team besieged by injuries and trade rumors, general manager Rob Pelinka will have the opportunity to put together something truly special.
On this episode of the Lakers Nation Podcast, host Trevor Lane details everything one needs to know prior to the start of free agency. After being criticized publicly for the way he negotiated the Anthony Davis trade and the salary cap implications of it, has Pelinka earned the trust of Lakers fans now that he pulled off the trade and the intricate process of also shedding the contracts of Moritz Wagner, Jemerrio Jones, and Isaac Bonga?
Plus, what kind of signal is being sent by Davis’ decision to waive his trade kicker worth $4 million? Does that decision give an indication of who the Lakers will be targeting with their cap space?
While $32 million in cap room is a lot, the Lakers currently only have three players on their team: Davis, LeBron James, and Kyle Kuzma. Should they spend all of that money on one max-level player, what options will they have to fill out the rest of their roster? And who could they target with a minimum contract that can help them win this season?
We dive into all of those details plus take a moment to appreciate where the Lakers are currently at — and what they could become if they are able to sell a top free agent to sign on the dotted line.
