Instant Reaction: What Do The Lakers Do This Off-Season?

[NYG]

What do the Lakers do this off-season?

[Colbinii]

Honestly, all they need to do is tweak some skill-sets [Russell, Hayes, Wood, Reddish] and maybe see what you can do with Vincent while Keeping Vando.

There is a chance Christie finally does something productive and can stay on the floor while Hood-Schifino has an outside shot at being someone.

The players they can get without giving any valuable assets include guys like Malcolm Brogdon, Bruce Brown, Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Huerter, Grant Williams and Jordan Clarkson.

I like giving up some minor-to-medium assets though for guys like Dorian Finney-Smith, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Jerami Grant, C.J. McCollum and Alex Caruso.

It is going to be another interesting off-season for the Lakers.

[Colbinii]

Here are their assets:

Picks
2024 2nd LAC
2025 2nd LAC
2025 2nd LAL
2027 2nd LAL
2030 2nd LAL
2031 2nd LAL

2024 1st [NOP may claim it, in which case they can trade their 2025 1st after draft night]
2029 1st
2031 1st

Young Prospects
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Max Christie

[vxmike]

Pick a direction. Either trade all the picks with some combination of Rui/DLo/Reaves/Vincent/Vanderbilt to upgrade the roster or blow it up and trade AD/Lebron.

[Mavrelous]

Here are their assets:

Picks
2024 2nd LAC
2025 2nd LAC
2025 2nd LAL
2027 2nd LAL
2030 2nd LAL
2031 2nd LAL

2024 1st [NOP may claim it, in which case they can trade their 2025 1st after draft night]
2029 1st
2031 1st

Young Prospects
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Max Christie

They also have 27 LAL 1st 1-4 and swaps in 26, 28 and 30, not bad TBH, much better state than they were last year.
They need to think hard about what they want to do, LeBron is 40.

[Colbinii]

Here are their assets:

Picks
2024 2nd LAC
2025 2nd LAC
2025 2nd LAL
2027 2nd LAL
2030 2nd LAL
2031 2nd LAL

2024 1st [NOP may claim it, in which case they can trade their 2025 1st after draft night]
2029 1st
2031 1st

Young Prospects
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Max Christie

They also have 27 LAL 1st 1-4 and swaps in 26, 28 and 30, not bad TBH, much better state than they were last year.
They need to think hard about what they want to do, LeBron is 40.

I find it pointless to list swaps since you can theoretically swap indefinitely.

[nzahir]

Pick a direction. Either trade all the picks with some combination of Rui/DLo/Reaves/Vincent/Vanderbilt to upgrade the roster or blow it up and trade AD/Lebron.

This

If we arent going to push in all the chips, Bron shold go elsewhere and Lakers should probaby build asset pile by moving AD

[Mavrelous]

I think with the emergence of young teams like Wolves, Thunder, Grizzlies, Pelicans, good teams who likely will run it back like Mavs, Kings, the Nuggets juggernaut, they are better off starting a rebuild.
It's a borderline PO team with the best player being 40 and the other being injury risk, trade both of them and rebuild.

[vxmike]

Pick a direction. Either trade all the picks with some combination of Rui/DLo/Reaves/Vincent/Vanderbilt to upgrade the roster or blow it up and trade AD/Lebron.

This

If we arent going to push in all the chips, Bron shold go elsewhere and Lakers should probaby build asset pile by moving AD

Yup they actually are in a decent trade position with three FRPs and many tradable contracts that aren’t toxic.

That said now is a great time to trade AD. He had a good and relatively healthy season. Lebron is still really effective too and could yield a good return himself.

[BuddyBuckets]

They have a talented roster just didn't win games. Maybe a 2 for 1 talent upgrade sending out Reeves and Rui and whatever pick the Pels don't take could compensate but really... how much of a talent upgrade do you get there?

They will likely run it back and pray for vet mins IMO

[Wolveswin]

Davis + Reaves + Vincent

FOR

Trae Young + Capela

I think Hawks actually add assets. Maybe just a 10 for 17 swap? And/or 25 Kings 1st?

I like this Hawks lineup:
Davis | OO (great load management for Davis)
Jalen | OO
Hunter | Jalen
Reaves | BB
Murray

Now with a younger star to build around in Trae and more assets (assuming so from Davis/Reaves trade) I am all in…

Russell (expiring after opt in) + Rui + JHS
+Rights to #10 (via Hawks) or #17 (if swap doesn’t happen)
+Unprotect 2027
+29/31 1sts (unprotected)
+Swaps as needed

FOR

Markkanen + Sexton

Capela | Hayes | Markkanen
James | JV (load manage James) | Wood
Markkanen | Redish | JV
Sexton | Vet (focus on defensive vet)
Trae | Vet (focus on defensive vet)

Depending on the vets signed, that is a much younger, deeper playoff team.

[Felixians4]

Pelinka and Ham evaluation first. LeBron choice crucial(would some team draft Bronny on first round because of want to LeBron finish career there).

LAL always elite when they have size advantage and one two top5 superstars. I think James can be even better and healthier next year, but without terrific clutch guard seems like a wasting time.

Offseason targets; Caruso, Brogdon, LaVine, Drummond, Tyus Jones, Kuzma, Klay

[jayjaysee]

I imagine they’ll be rumored with every superstar in the league, available or not.. but I think they are one of the most realistic Murray destinations.

[Godaddycurse]

can they rebuild without their 2025 1st?

[Mavrelous]

can they rebuild without their 2025 1st?

Sunk cost...
They should do the best thing for them looking forward...

[MotownMadness]

Put LeBron on a 1 year and keep a open max slot for 25 FA with Mitchell

[gswhoops]

They're not going to trade LeBron unless he asks out. And if they're keeping LeBron, they're keeping AD as well, because there's no way they can get someone who raises their ceiling higher by trading him (plus, AD can't be traded until later in the offseason IIRC because of his extension).

With those two in place, you either (1) combine a bunch of your mid-level contracts to trade for a distressed star (Beal, Lavine) or (2) use your picks and prospects, to the extent anyone values them, to upgrade your role players (i.e., trade Vincent and a 1st for Caruso and Rui and a 1st for DFS).

Option (2) feels like the more effective strategy but (1) is sexier.

[Colbinii]

can they rebuild without their 2025 1st?

Why not? They can always trade AD/Reaves for future assets.

Sunk Cost Fallacy has plagued this trade board for Millennium.

[ChettheJet]

The Lakers are a unique franchise, no other NBA team would commit to 'big name' players where basically everything has to go perfect and they win a title or they hope for the same thing the next year and then stay on that course. They aren't going to let Lebron walk nor trade him, especially while they have Davis. That franchise needs to have current superstars, they don't rebuild and they sure don't build through the draft. They'd trade all their picks for stars if they could.

They aren't me but I'd look to trade AD, let Lebron pick his destination willing to draft his kid and move on. If they could get Demar DeRozan or Zach Lavine or some other mere max contract guys and build around the role players they have. On average they'd probably get as far in the playoffs as they have with Lebron and AD.

[R-DAWG]

I think this offseason starts with a very blunt conversation with Lebron James. I think in a perfect world Lebron wants to stay with the Lakers and the Lakers want Lebron to remain a Laker. I also think both Lebron and the Lakers want the Lakers to back up the truck for a 3rd star to pair with Lebron/AD over the next few years, but it's out of the Lakers control if that opportunity presents itself. In the event it does, this is an easy conversation, but if it doesn't it raises questions. If Lebron wants to continue to maximize his salary, it's hard to justify spending future draft capital on marginal upgrades because it likely does not make you a contender. But if Lebron is willing to settle for a salary in the $20MM range, it allows the Lakers to operate below the 1st apron, opens up the non taxpayer MLE, and creates a world of opportunity.

There is definitely a middle ground where Lebron opts in, the Lakers move this years pick for to upgrade the roster, and this team is a slightly better version of the 2024 Lakers. And maybe Lebron and the Lakers are fine being a middle of the pack playoff team to round out his career.

There is also the possibility of trading him to a place where he can compete for a title, but the return will be underwhelming relative to his on court value given his age.

But let's explore a world where Lebron takes less money ($15-20MM per year) and a no brainer trade for a guy like Donnovan Mitchell does not present itself.

I would explore a Brad Beal trade if the cost was low. I have a vision of a 3 way deal where D'Angelo Russell is sent to Brooklyn in a sign and trade in a 2 year deal starting at $23.1 MM (2nd year declines to $22.06MM) and Dennis Schroeder and Rui end up in PHX. Day'Ron Sharpe would need to be included for matching purposes (along with filler MIN salary OR the Lakers would give Russell a lower contract and include Maxwell Lewis in the deal). Another version of the deal is Dorin Finey-Smith ending up in PHX with Schroeder and PHX's 2024 1st rd pick ending up in Brooklyn.

From the Lakers standpoint - they are now left with the following roster:
Starters - Beal-Reaves-Vanderbilit-James-Davis
Bench- Vincent- Hood-Schifino-2024 1st rd pick (#17 - which should be used on a 4th year player who can contribute right away), Maxwell Lewis
Ways to add talent - non-taxpayer MLE ($12.859MM), Taureen Prince bird rights (up to $5,419,200).

Assuming Lebron takes $15MM per year, the NTMLE is used on one player, and Prince is resigned at the full amount, LA is sitting with 11 players on the roster and +/- $8.4MM remaining below the 1st apron - enough to add a few vet mins, a 2-way and keep a lot open for a buyout guy.

While Beal struggles fitting in with Durant/Booker in PHX, I think he fits the Lakers roster much better - especially if Lebron embraces being a facilitator (which he is more than capable of) and letting Beal/Davis carry the scoring load. He's a big upgrade over DLo. The key here, this only works with Lebron sacrificing financially.