Despite being together for less than half a season, the new-look Lakers somehow made a run to the Western Conference Finals and far exceeded expectations. But now that it’s over, the Lakers cannot just sit by and wait for the new season to begin. They must work quickly to keep their essential players on the roster and improve the supporting cast by any means necessary.
In a recent article by the Athletic, insider Jovan Buha revealed at least part of the plan for the Lakeshow this summer. Apparently, only LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Jarred Vanderbilt are locks to return.
“The two players it’s appearing won’t be back are Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley, if only because of their contracts. Russell is more likely than not to be back, but his return is not a lock. The Lakers are going to explore their options and upgrade if it makes sense… I suspect Walker won’t be back because he can parlay his late-postseason success into a larger role elsewhere. Troy Brown Jr., Wenyen Gabriel and Tristan Thompson all are veteran-minimum candidates who could be retained at a similar price should the Lakers choose to pursue them.”
Assuming the Lakers manage to keep Vando, Reaves, and Rui, they’ll have their starting five next season and will be free to spend the rest of their money filling out the bench. Of course, they could also go the Kyrie Irving route and bring another star to the city.
Can The Lakers Win Another Championship In The LeBron James Era?
As the most storied franchise in the league, the Lakers are always looking to be competitive and that hasn’t changed with LeBron on the roster. In fact, James’ timeline is putting extra pressure on the team to get it right and build a team capable of making a run in the playoffs.
If they want to run it back, the Lakers will be somewhat limited as far as who they can add, but don’t be surprised if they pull off some impressive signings to make one last push with LeBron and AD.
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