The Los Angeles Lakers are once again at the center of the headlines when it comes to how their offseason will play out. Between several key decisions and a desire to return to championship glory, here is a deep dive on what to expect of the purple and gold’s summer.
2024 NBA Off-Season Preview: What’s Next for the Lakers?
Season Recap
The Lakers’ season began relatively strong, as a 7-6 start bloomed to a 14-9 record, with LA winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament behind the dominance of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Their early success wouldn’t last long, however, as the rest of December and beginning of January saw them plummet from 15-10 to 17-19. The team drama followed soon after. There was displeasure over the benching of D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves at that time. A bombshell report revealing locker room tensions didn’t help matters at all, either.
The Lakers eventually clawed their way back to get above .500 by the trade deadline (27-25), where LA remained quiet despite the many rumors surrounding Russell and others. They looked like a completely different team afterwards, between the backcourt’s red-hot scoring, Rui Hachimura’s rise to the starting lineup and Davis’s DPOY-worthy rim protection. At 36-30, fans hoped the Lakers could pull off another midseason comeback.
The team went 11-5 to finish the season, but it still wasn’t enough to guarantee them a playoff spot. The Lakers found themselves in the Play-in Tournament for the third time in four years, beating the Pelicans to face the defending-champion Denver Nuggets, who sent them home in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
The Lakers narrowly avoided a repeat of the WCF, but were instead gentlemen-swept by Denver on Jamal Murray‘s game-winning shot—his second one of the series. The whispers of Darvin Ham’s future with the franchise grew louder, and the second-year head coach was let go days later.
Now, the Lakers are left without a head coach and with plenty of questions as they navigate arguably the most important offseason in the LeBron and AD era.
Projected Cap Space and Draft Picks
Cap Space: $31 million
Draft Picks: Nos. 17 and 55
Primary Targets
For the second straight year, the Lakers will have the 17th pick in the NBA Draft. Assuming they keep the pick, the team will likely be searching for wings and big men to play behind either James or Davis.
Da Silva is a 3-and-D wing whose size and scoring would fit the Lakers very well, considering they lacked size in the frontcourt for much of the year. Ware and Filipowski are two unique bigs who can put the ball on the floor and score from distance. NC State’s bruising breakout D.J. Burns Jr. has bolstered his case to be drafted and was recently spotted at the Lakers’ El Segundo training facility. And then there’s Bronny, who is one of the draft’s most polarizing and high-profile prospects. He has reportedly declined all but two invited workouts: the Lakers and the Suns.
Pending Free Agents and Possible Departures
Free Agents
- LeBron James
- D’Angelo Russell
- Max Christie
- Jaxson Hayes
- Cam Reddish
- Taurean Prince
- Spencer Dinwiddie
- Harry Giles III
- Colin Castleton
- Skylar Mays
The Lakers’ cap space situation is remarkably complicated, since it hinges on the decisions of several players. Lakers Nation noted that they could have $14 million if LeBron indeed opts out, and up to $31 million if Russell does the same, which he is reportedly expected to do. Nearly all of the aforementioned players—except for Prince—have player options they must decide on. Backup big man Christian Wood has already committed to returning to LA, while defensive stopper Jarred Vanderbilt signed a four-year extension last September. Giles, Castleton, and Mays are LA’s two-way signees. Both Giles and Mays—restricted free agents—will be entering their fourth seasons, rendering them ineligible for another two-way contract. The rookie big man Castleton, however, could still return on the same deal.
For the Lakers, retaining LeBron is priority #1, plain and simple. Recent reports suggest that he would like to play at least a couple more seasons in the league, and many would prefer that he retires as a Laker. Both are still possible, but the Lakers must construct a roster that James wants to return to.
The rest of LA’s pending free agents have all earned healthy amounts of praise and skepticism from the Laker Faithful. Though there’s a case for all of them to return, some players are worth keeping over others.
The Lakers could reasonably part with Reddish and Hayes, who could earn better opportunities elsewhere. Russell has been an integral part of the Lakers’ success, and it would be difficult to replace him if he leaves. Prince, a versatile veteran, had his ups and downs. But if he re-signs at the right price, he would solidify the Lakers’ wing depth. The same goes for Spencer Dinwiddie, who joined his hometown team via the buyout market and provided some stability at the point guard slot. And many believe Christie didn’t get a fair chance under Ham. As he demonstrated this year, the 21-year-old holds a ton of potential that the next head coach should tap into.
Trade Pieces
- Gabe Vincent
- Austin Reaves
- Rui Hachimura
- Jalen Hood-Schifino
The Lakers remain at the center of blockbuster trade talks, and getting great talent will require giving up some as well. Reaves and Hachimura are still under contract and could be traded to acquire any of LA’s dream targets (more on them later). Making such a deal—along with some of their three tradable first-round picks—will require moving one or both of them in a significant package.
Vincent and Hood-Schifino have been underwhelming guards for various reasons, and the team should try and move on from them if possible. Fans hoped Vincent would turn into a steady backup facilitator and potential sixth man. However, knee problems—which eventually led to surgery—kept him out most of the season, and he struggled in the minutes he had on the court. Hood-Schifino showed plenty of promise as a first-round talent. Still, he was played off the floor but soon found his footing in the G League. He later underwent back surgery in March.
Vincent’s $11 million salary may be enough to net one or two bench players plus draft capital. Hood-Schifino is on minimum deal that can be added to any trade if necessary. Regardless, the Lakers have options for improvement, whether it’s a major trade or some minor ones.
Realistic Offseason Targets
Trade Targets
There is plenty of discourse surrounding LA’s three big targets and how they could help the team next season. A third star would take the load off of James—in what will be his 22nd season—and be a huge help for Davis, whose stellar production saved the Lakers many times this year.
Mitchell, Young, and Murray all have strong cases for joining the Lakers. Any of their playing styles would fit this team like a glove. As it stands right now, Mitchell is the Lakers’ leading candidate, and rightfully so. He excelled in leading the Jazz and Cavaliers, and could be looking for a change of scenery if extension talks with Cleveland go south. Aside from Mitchell’s skill set, his timeline at 27 years old makes him a great option to help lead the Lakers once LeBron retires and AD takes the keys to the franchise.
Similarly, Bridges, if he becomes available, would be an excellent 3-and-D wing to pair with James and Davis. His electrifying time with the Nets has raised his value significantly. He averaged a career-high 26.1 points per game a season prior, and he put up 19.6 PPG this year. With Nets owner Joe Tsai foreshadowing serious changes, Bridges could be the perfect addition to any contender, especially the Lakers.
Free Agent Targets
Even with a fluctuating amount of cap space, the Lakers could go out and target several notable names this summer.
Wizards floor general Tyus Jones—who previously caught LA’s eye at the deadline—could reportedly be brought into consideration again, likely reverting to a backup role. Jonas Valanciunas would provide much-needed help in the middle and allow AD to go back to playing the four, which he prefers. Valanciunas’ durability would be ideal for a Lakers team with a CVS receipt’s worth of injuries.
The Lakers could also pursue Kelly Oubre Jr. after eyeing him for some time. The 28-year-old wing boasted a 15-PPG average with the 76ers—all on a minimum contract. If his value hasn’t already skyrocketed, Oubre’s would be an easier wing for the Lakers to target this summer. Finally, veteran facilitator Chris Paul is considered a serious candidate to join LA if he hits free agency. It may be over a decade late, but CP3 could still be valuable, even at 39 years old.
The Lakers likely won’t be big spenders in free agency, so going after names like the ones listed above is a good way for them to improve while maintaining some continuity.
