It’s rare that a championship team gets better in the offseason. However, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka clearly was not going to get complacent with just one title. The Lakers have managed to get deeper and younger at every position. A deeper team means it’s two stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, will not have to play as many minutes in the regular season. In turn, this will allow them to be more rested for the playoffs.
The Star Treatment
It pays very well to be a star in Los Angeles. The Lakers announced huge signings of their marquee duo. First, the Lakers locked-in LeBron James for an additional two seasons. This will likely guarantee that he retires as a member of the purple and gold. The timing caught most people’s attention as the contract runs through 2023 which is the same year his eldest son graduates high school. Could James somehow change NBA policy to allow high school players to be drafted into the league? NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is open to the idea of allowing high school players to enter the draft again. There has never been a father-son duo in the NBA. There’s also never been a LeBron James so anything is possible.
The Lakers’ big man Anthony Davis got the ring and the big contract in 2020. Davis signed a five-year contract worth $190 million. At the end of the contract, this will likely be Davis’ team with James retiring. In his prime, Davis is on a winning team and being paid like a superstar.
New Additions
To complement James and Davis, the Lakers added new pieces to improve their championship roster. It shows a high level of commitment to winning in James’ final NBA seasons. Everyone appears to be on the same page and ready to win now. There are pieces that could be part of a long-term plan, but that’s not the goal right now.
LeBron James was described as “happy as hell” when learning the Lakers signed Marc Gasol. Gasol, a defensive big man presence, will really upgrade their frontcourt. Of course, this is also a heartwarming moment for fans. Marc’s brother Pau played for the Lakers from 2008-2014 and won two titles with Kobe Bryant. Gasol is a champion who will really make a difference even if it’s not on the box score.
After averaging career highs in points (18.6) and rebounds (7.1) last season for the Lakers’ crosstown rivals, Montrezl Harrell made the move to the other side. Last year Harrell was coming off the bench in 61 of the 63 regular-season games he played. He will likely keep that same sixth man role he was so good at it, playing behind Gasol. The Lakers’ second team will vastly improve with this addition. This will allow James to spend more time on the bench and open more rotations on the floor. The offense is less likely to stall when James and Davis are on the bench. Harrell is one of the best free agency signings of the offseason.
Dennis Schröder is a perfect pickup for the Lakers. He can take some of the point guard duties from James. James led the league in assists last season. Schröder intends to be the Lakers starting point guard, however, Frank Vogel has not committed to that. Vogel is considering various backcourt pairings and which guards on the roster would be the most efficient. Schröder joins Kentavious Caldwell-Pop, Alex Caruso, and newly signed Wesley Matthews. Once Schröder develops chemistry with Davis it will be hard to see him not starting.
Wesley Matthews is a guy who James loves to play with. A guard who can shoot the three and provide instant offense any night. That’s what Danny Green and JR Smith used to be, but not really so anymore. Matthews also comes in as a strong defender. The West is full of sharp-shooting guards and adding Matthews will really help.
Departures
Rajon Rondo was a big part of the Lakers’ championship run. He could run the offense when James went to the bench. However, the team decided to go with a cheaper option. Schroeder can also run the offense. Despite turning 35, Rondo showed he could still show up in crucial moments, dropping 19 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
It was a full-circle moment for Dwight Howard and the perfect way to end the story. After a rocky relationship with Los Angeles, Howard delivered on his promise. He brought home a title to Los Angeles. Now in Philadelphia, Howard can bring over that championship mentality to the Sixers.
It’s not surprising the Lakers wanted to upgrade the shooting guard position and chose to trade Danny Green. It was great to see Green and James team up for a championship run after all of the years of being on opposing sides. Green understood the decision was about business and harbors no resentment towards the team. Now with Philadelphia, he can work with Ben Simmons on his shot.
Los Angeles decided to trade Javale McGee to clear space for Gasol. McGee posted a career-best twelve points per game. McGee will take over for the void left by Tristan Thompson in Cleveland. He will be a good veteran backup to work with Andre Drummond.
