Although it is still early in the offseason, it has become clear that the Los Angeles Lakers will be one of the teams to watch. With the Purple and Gold boasting tremendous cap flexibility, there is already an expectation for L.A. to make some moves. Now, with Luka Doncic demanding roster upgrades, Los Angeles may embrace a more active approach.
Currently, the Lakers have largely been linked with several targets, especially in free agency. While the list of restricted free agents, featuring Walker Kessler, Jalen Duren, and Peyton Watson, is impressive, there isn’t much optimism about signing them this summer. Instead, Dave McMenamin’s update on the Lakers’ list of unrestricted free agents may be much more promising. He wrote:
“The risk of pursuing an RFA, of course, is that the player’s current team has 48 hours to match, and L.A.’s available money would be tied up in that interim, making it a dangerous move.”
“Among the unrestricted free agents who would slot well alongside Doncic, Detroit’s Tobias Harris, Miami’s Norman Powell, Chicago’s Anfernee Simons, New York’s Mitchell Robinson, Charlotte’s Coby White, Philadelphia’s Quentin Grimes, Cleveland’s Dean Wade, and New York’s Landry Shamet all fit L.A.’s needs to varying degrees.”
McMenamin’s report features a myriad of different player profiles. While most of them are established veterans, the range of combo guards, high-scoring wings, defensive centers, and floor-spacing big men suggests that the Lakers are casting a wide net in their search for roster upgrades.
Given that the aforementioned targets are unrestricted free agents, the Lakers have a much better chance of signing them in free agency. When also keeping their cap flexibility in mind, here is how they could sign each of these players.
Tobias Harris
Previous Team: Detroit Pistons
Stats: 13.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 46.9% FG, 36.8% 3P FG%
Previous Contract: $26.6 million
Tobias Harris could be an interesting fit on the Los Angeles Lakers. Last season, Harris served as a reliable veteran scorer for the Detroit Pistons in the starting lineup. Come playoff time, Harris stepped up on more occasions than one, often acting as the secondary option next to Cade Cunningham and shouldering the offensive load.
Harris brings a lot to the table with his veteran experience and offensive upside. While being a capable scorer from three levels, the veteran forward also functions as a solid catch-and-shoot threat on the perimeter, positioning him as a solid passing outlet on the wings.
It can be argued that Tobias Harris was on an inflated contract last season, primarily because he was still serving out his previous extension. Realistically, the Lakers could offer Harris a contract worth $18-$20 million annually. However, given that they are already inclined to re-sign Rui Hachimura, pursuing Harris, who would be on a similarly priced contract, may not be as worthwhile.
Norman Powell
Previous Team: Miami Heat
Stats: 21.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 47.0% FG, 38.0% 3P FG%
Previous Contract: $20.4 million
The Miami Heat‘s Norman Powell is one of the more lucrative players on the free agent market this offseason. After joining the Heat, Powell grew in stature as a star-caliber player, earning his first All-Star appearance this season.
As an electric scorer, a player like Powell could be immensely valuable for the Lakers. His streaky shooting from beyond the arc, along with his versatile offensive skill set, could make him a tremendous running mate for Luka Doncic.
While this move could be promising, the Purple and Gold may not see much value in pursuing him. Since becoming an All-Star, Powell is likely to demand a substantial pay raise and a multi-year deal to go with it. Given that the Lakers are supposedly in contract negotiations with Austin Reaves, who is effectively a similar type of player, L.A. may not see much reason to sign Powell this offseason.
Anfernee Simons
Previous Team: Chicago Bulls
Stats: 14.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 44.0% FG, 38.5% 3P FG%
Previous Contract: $27.6 million
Anfernee Simons could be an intriguing target for Los Angeles this summer. After being traded to the Boston Celtics, there was an expectation that Simons would dazzle with his explosive scoring ability. However, in Joe Mazzulla‘s system, Simons developed into an intriguing two-way threat, providing valuable minutes as a defender and three-point shooter off the bench.
After being moved to the Chicago Bulls, Simons returned to familiar form, scoring in bunches and using his athletic ability to carve up defenses. Given his potential to be an elite scoring threat off the bench, there could be considerable merit in pursuing him.
Simons’ previous contract may be perceived as inflated, especially given his gradual drop-off over the last few seasons. With the guard effectively becoming a valuable role player, he could be worth roughly $20 million annually.
Given the Lakers’ cap flexibility, offering such a contract should not pose a challenge. When also considering the need for greater bench scoring, signing Simons could be viewed favorably.
Mitchell Robinson
Previous Team: New York Knicks
Stats: 5.7 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 0.9 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 72.3% FG
Previous Contract: $12.9 million
New York Knicks‘ center Mitchell Robinson has cemented his status as an elite defensive big man in the NBA. Having played a vital role in defending Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals, Robinson has certainly grown in stature entering free agency this summer.
Mitchell Robinson has been viewed as a potential target for the Los Angeles Lakers this year. As an athletic big man with terrific rebounding and shot-blocking instincts, he almost perfectly fits the profile of a player the Lakers are looking for in the center spot.
After an inspired playoff run that culminated in an NBA championship, it will be immensely challenging to pry Robinson away from the Knicks. However, with New York refusing to go into the second tax apron, there may be a small window of opportunity.
Robinson’s $12.9 million contract may have been ideal for the Lakers. However, now that he’s won a title, he is worth much more. With the big man likely to demand $20-$22 million, the Purple and Gold may be hesitant to make such an offer.
Coby White
Previous Team: Charlotte Hornets
Stats: 17.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 44.6% FG, 36.2% 3P FG%
Previous Contract: $12.8 million
Coby White is another player worth investing in this summer. Although he experienced a mild dip in performance during his stint with the Chicago Bulls before being traded, after being moved to the Charlotte Hornets, White showed real upside as a scoring option off the bench.
On the Hornets, White routinely offered an offensive boost with the second unit. Given the kind of run Charlotte was making through the second half of the season, it could even be said that much of their success could be owed to White maintaining their scoring momentum once the starters went to the bench.
At $12.8 million, it was clear that the Bulls were underpaying White. Given that sources expect him to demand nearly $30 million per year in his next contract extension, he may be an expensive commodity.
For the Lakers, as talented as White is, this move may not make much sense at that value. With Austin Reaves signing a long-term extension and the Lakers likely to re-sign Luke Kennard, it may make more sense to utilize their cap space to address other roster issues.
Quentin Grimes
Previous Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Stats: 13.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 45.0% FG, 33.4% 3P FG%
Previous Contract: $8.7 million (QO)
Quentin Grimes was among the many restricted free agents last season who found themselves in a stalemate during contract negotiations. While Grimes demanded an extension worth $25 million annually, the 76ers were unwilling to agree. Hence, after negotiations hit another wall, Grimes eventually agreed to the $8.7 million qualifying offer.
Accepting the qualifying offer may have been the best decision for Grimes, as it ensured he would enter free agency this year. Although Grimes became a key member of Philadelphia’s rotation, especially after Jared McCain‘s departure, there is reason to believe he may want to join a different team.
The Lakers were among the teams to be linked with Grimes in rumors before the trade deadline, too. In this regard, reigniting the pursuit for him may have some merit.
In theory, the issues revolving around Grimes and Coby White are similar. The Lakers already have an abundance of combo guards, though they could do with some fortifications off the bench. At $25 million, Quentin Grimes may be too expensive. But even if the Lakers offer Grimes a contract worth $15-$17 million annually, he may not be too satisfied with a secondary role.
Dean Wade
Previous Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Stats: 5.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 43.9% FG, 36.2% 3P FG%
Previous Contract: $6.6 million
Dean Wade has strongly positioned himself as a reliable floor-spacing big man with the Cleveland Cavaliers over the last two seasons. Although he isn’t the most productive asset on the floor, Wade served as a reliable perimeter threat, which gave the Cavaliers considerable flexibility in their rotations.
While Wade has been a mainstay in the Cavaliers’ rotation, Cleveland will face issues in retaining its key players this summer. With a massive payroll, the Cavs may be forced to make some tough decisions. Given how limited Wade’s contributions were last season, it could be assumed that his time in Cleveland is also coming to an end.
The Lakers have shown an interest in Wade in the past. As a 6’9″ forward with some rebounding upside, he also brings more to the table than just his three-point shooting. Given that he was earning $6.6 million last season, there is also no reason to believe the Lakers can’t offer him a contract worth $10 million a season or more.
Adding Wade could be quite useful for the Lakers, especially as a means to strengthen their bench. By adding another stretch forward in the second unit, the Purple and Gold gain more flexibility to experiment with different lineups early on.
Landry Shamet
Previous Team: New York Knicks
Stats: 9.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 43.7% FG, 39.2% 3P FG%
Previous Contract: $2.3 million
Like Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet was another vital player for the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. Although he came off the bench and averaged 6.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game in the Finals, the numbers don’t do justice to the impact he had with his perimeter shooting.
From a statistical perspective, Shamet was relatively ordinary, as he shot 33.3% from the field and 30.8% from three-point range against the San Antonio Spurs. However, the manner in which his shots transformed New York’s chances of winning highlights his true value.
Considering that he was effectively playing on a veteran minimum deal, signing Shamet to a slightly larger contract in the range of $7-$9 million annually should not pose a challenge. However, unlike Robinson, whom the Knicks may struggle to retain, New York may not face as much difficulty with retaining Shamet this summer. Thus, the Lakers may be forced to turn their attention elsewhere.
