The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024 offseason is off to an encouraging begin.
They employed a vibrant younger coach in JJ Redick. They landed top-10 prospect Dalton Knecht with the No. 17 decide within the 2024 NBA Draft. They made historical past by uniting LeBron James together with his eldest son, Bronny James, with their No. 55 choice. D’Angelo Russell, probably the most important domino of their offseason, opted in, giving them a mid-sized expiring contract to doubtlessly commerce.
Then, on Saturday, almost 5 hours forward of a 5 p.m. (ET) deadline, LeBron James opted out of his contract with the intention of re-signing with the Lakers, in response to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The Athletic beforehand reported the Lakers need James to return and had been open to providing him no matter kind of contract he prefers.
James opting out is one other win for the Lakers, which may save not less than $1.5 million on their cap sheet by him not exercising his $51.4 million participant choice for subsequent season. (The trade-off for James is he’s eligible so as to add a no-trade clause to his contract, which might permit him to regulate his future.)
James could be prepared to take a fair steeper pay minimize on high of that if it permits the Lakers to open up the non-taxpayer midlevel exception (value roughly $12.9 million) for the proper varieties of gamers, in response to Bleacher Report. James’ agent, Klutch Sports activities CEO Wealthy Paul, instructed ESPN his consumer would solely be prepared to take a reduction for an “affect participant,” with James Harden, Klay Thompson and Jonas Valančiūnas as reported names who’d match the invoice. The non-taxpayer midlevel exception could be a major pay minimize for Harden and Thompson, particularly.
Nevertheless, there’s mutual curiosity between the Lakers and Thompson, as The Athletic’s Charania and Anthony Slater first reported.
Thompson, a Southern California native, is the son of Mychal Thompson, who performed for the Showtime Lakers from 1987 via 1991 and is the staff’s present radio shade commentator. The youthful Thompson, 34, is a four-time NBA champion and one of many best shooters of all time. Thompson has spent his 12 professional seasons with the Golden State Warriors, however the relationship has fractured to the purpose the place Thompson is more likely to depart. The Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers are all pursuing him.
If James takes a reduction for the Lakers to entry their full non-taxpayer midlevel exception, the Lakers might be hard-capped on the first apron of $178.7 million. Which means James must take a $16-plus million low cost together with his beginning wage at about simply over $33 million for the 2024-25 season. The most definitely pay minimize situation could be James signing a two-year take care of a participant choice for 2025-26, permitting him to choose out in 2025 and re-sign for more cash, in response to league sources. The Lakers additionally may carry out a smaller salary-dump commerce (or two) to create extra monetary wiggle room and permit James to take a smaller lower.
If the Lakers don’t land a star or high-level starter with their non-taxpayer midlevel exception, James will signal the max, in response to ESPN. If LeBron re-signs at his max for 2024-25 (roughly $49.9 million), the Lakers could have roughly $182.3 million in dedicated wage. That places them lower than $8 million beneath the second apron ($189.5 million). James additionally needs to have his contract resolved earlier than he begins training on the U.S. males’s Olympic basketball minicamp on July 6 in Las Vegas.
No matter what occurs with James, the Lakers are well-positioned to improve their roster in the event that they so select. The proverbial ball is of their court docket relating to how the remainder of this offseason unfolds.
Lakers vp of basketball operations and common supervisor Rob Pelinka tempered expectations earlier within the week — twice — by saying trades are more durable to execute beneath the NBA’s new collective bargaining settlement. At face worth, that’s true, contemplating the brand new punitive restrictions of the primary and second aprons.
On the identical time, the commerce exercise over the previous week, particularly close to the highest of the Western Convention, paints a special actuality. In that point, the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder traded for defensive ace Alex Caruso, the Minnesota Timberwolves traded for No. 8 decide Rob Dillingham, the Denver Nuggets traded up for DaRon Holmes II and salary-dumped Reggie Jackson to attempt to retain Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Dallas Mavericks salary-dumped Tim Hardaway Jr. to allow them to preserve starter Derrick Jones Jr. (or signal Thompson) and the New Orleans Pelicans made a shrewd deal for former Lakers goal Dejounte Murray.
The remainder of the West is discovering methods to make trades that enhance their rosters or act as precursors to different strikes. It’s now on the Lakers to do the identical.
They’ve the property to make a notable commerce. Russell’s $18.7 million contract affords them a degree of flexibility when it comes to the varieties of gamers they’ll pursue. Add in a single or each of their future first-round picks, as many as three decide swaps and the mid-sized salaries of Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and/or Gabe Vincent, and the Lakers can get within the dialog for almost any non-star (and even some lower-end stars). That’s, once more, earlier than factoring within the potential addition of Thompson or one other high-impact participant for his or her non-taxpayer midlevel exception.
So far as trades go, the Lakers touchdown a 3rd star in a deal seems unlikely, barring an unexpected one secretly turning into accessible. Donovan Mitchell is reportedly more likely to signal a contract extension with Cleveland, which might rule him. Trae Younger’s swap from Klutch Sports activities to CAA additionally makes a commerce to the Lakers much less possible, as The Athletic beforehand reported. Murray is now in New Orleans and off the board. Maybe Darius Garland turns into accessible, however he’s a transparent step down from the Mitchell and Younger tier of stars.
Nonetheless, there are good choices doubtlessly on the market. Wings like Portland’s Jerami Grant, former Lakers participant Kyle Kuzma and the Nets’ duo of Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson are anticipated to be accessible on the commerce market, in response to league sources. They aren’t the most important needle-movers, however any of these 4 gamers would improve the Lakers’ perimeter protection, frontcourt dimension and/or ground spacing. Grant, for his half, would verify every of these bins; he’s quietly shot 40-plus p.c on 3s in back-to-back seasons in Portland.
The Lakers roster, as presently constructed, just isn’t adequate to return out of the Western Convention. They’ll win a spherical and perhaps even two if the bracket breaks of their favor, however they’ve too many holes in comparison with the remainder of the highest of the West, particularly on the wing. Their perimeter dimension, protection and general pace and athleticism are missing in comparison with their competitors. James and Davis made it recognized lately they imagine this roster wants upgrades.
The Timberwolves, Thunder, Mavericks and Pelicans all have higher rosters than those they completed final season. Denver’s standing may change if it loses Caldwell-Pope in free company and the Clippers will possible fall off in the event that they lose Paul George, however the bigger level is the remainder of the West is revamping, doubtlessly creating much more distance between them and the Lakers. If the Lakers are as severe about competing for championships with James and Davis as they declare to be, they have to bolster this supporting forged.
Essentially the most quick complication to this effort is the roster crunch the Lakers are dealing with. Assuming LeBron James re-signs, they may have 14 gamers beneath contract after Russell, Christian Wooden, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish opted in and so they drafted Knecht and Bronny James. That’s earlier than factoring of their different free brokers (Max Christie, Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie) or any potential free brokers.
The Lakers tendered a qualifying supply to Christie to formally make him a restricted free agent, staff sources confirmed to The Athletic. The entrance workplace want to retain Christie and envision him as a rotation participant subsequent season, in response to these sources. Nevertheless, the Lakers would wish to clear further cash and a roster spot to signal each Christie and one other participant with the nontaxpayer midlevel exception.
Had Russell opted out, the Lakers would have had much less optionality on the commerce market. However with him opting in, James all in favour of taking a pay minimize for the proper free agent and the Lakers armed with a number of mid-sized salaries, two first-round picks and a number of decide swaps to commerce, there isn’t a excuse for Los Angeles to not dramatically enhance its roster with a giant transfer or two over the following few days.
(High picture: Ronald Martinez / Getty Photographs)