Following a disappointing 2018-19 season, the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back by achieving the number one seed in the brutal western conference. As I am writing, the Lakers are currently in the playoffs competing for a championship.
Whether or not the purple and gold leaves the NBA Bubble with the Larry O’Brien Trophy, they have a huge offseason ahead of them.
As a LeBron James fanboy, I only want the best situation for him to win. That is why I am here, to envision a potential 2020 Lakers offseason that puts them ahead of the pack.
Resign Anthony Davis
This is a no brainer. Once the Lakers season is over, the front office should immediately have contract talks with Anthony Davis.
The superstar was a force this year. His acquirement via trade last offseason played an enormous role in the organization’s return to the league’s forefront.
AD led the team in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks per game (26.1, 9.3, 1.5, & 2.3). The seven-time All-Star’s fabulous season placed him second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Although I don’t believe there’s a chance ‘The Brow’ takes his talents to another ball club, the Lakers still need to prioritize his resigning. Hand him the max, and league domination continues.
Trade For A Third Star
As much as I love Kyle Kuzma, the experiment with him as the third option is not going as planned. The 25-year-old doesn’t heal the team’s two most significant needs, 3pt shooting & perimeter defense. The Lakers don’t know what they’re getting from him on a nightly basis.
To fix these inconsistencies, Kuzma should be traded. Per Sources’ own Jeffrey Shao details this necessity here.
A rumored trade target for the Lakers this offseason is Indiana Pacers G Victor Oladipo.
The 2020-21 season is Oladipo’s last one on contract with Indiana. Early extension talks stalled, so it is noted that the star is pursuing money. However, the former Most Improved Player of the Year experienced two back-to-back injury-riddled campaigns. With that in mind, the Pacers might not look to make moves to free up top dollar for him. Without the desired wage on the table, Oladipo most likely packs up out of the Hoosier State.
Not trying to lose Oladipo for nothing next summer, the Pacers should be open to trade talks.
A potential trade offer from the Lakers courtesy of Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley:
Lakers: Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, Talen Horton-Tucker, 2020 first-round pick
For
Pacers: Victor Oladipo
Now, I know it looks like a lot for a possible one-year rental on paper, but hear me out.
Oladipo is a much-needed upgrade over Kuzma. He would compliment LeBron and AD better than the man with many hairstyles. Although Oladipo is not 100%, his offensive load in L.A. would be smaller than his in Indiana; therefore, putting less pressure on his body to ease back into prime shape.
When healthy, Oladipo is an elite two-way hooper. In his career season in 2017-18, he averaged 23.1 PPG on 48/37/80 shooting splits. His addition to the purple and gold gives the team a viable secondary ball-handler who can score on so many levels.
On the other side of the ball, Oladipo is a defensive pest. In that same 2018 season, he led the league in steals and claimed an All-Defensive First Team honor. His clamps would, for sure, boost a team that struggles to lock down the perimeter.
As for the others in the package, the Lakers would have to throw in Green’s $15 million a year contract to balance the deal financially. The loss of THT and a 2020 first-round draft pick doesn’t hurt the team.
Regarding the one-year rental situation, the Lakers don’t lose even if the trade doesn’t go as expected.
If the Victor we all know and love returns in Hollywood, the Lakers should win the championship. When that summer comes, there’s no doubt he would resign. Who turns down a chance to be the favorites to win not one, but many titles for that city?
If the deal does fail, the Lakers should have the cap to retool in a Giannis Antetokounmp-headlined Free Agency class.
Fill Out Roster
When the Free Agency period begins, the Lakers will only have six guys under contract (James, Green, Cook, Caruso, Kuzma, & THT). However, I believe the dudes who have player-options will suit up in Tinseltown for another run (KCP, Bradley, McGee, Rondo).
Additionally, Davis’ return is almost guaranteed. Plus, considering the Oladipo trade, that would leave GM Rob Pelinka with at least two more holes to patch.
A large portion of their cap space would be controlled by the big three. Unless more trades are made, a splash in Free Agency would be unlikely. But, the Lakers wouldn’t need the cream of the crop when it comes to role players. All they would have to do is to pick up productive bench players on very cheap contracts.
Here are a few candidates for the Lakers to sign.
Bringing back DeMarcus Cousins would be a good acquisition for the Lakers. Despite waiving him earlier this year, the team kept close ties with the big. That means that their interest in pairing up ‘Boogie’ with Bron and AD is still there. Although I believe he will never return to his game pre-injuries, resigning the big would give the Lakers more offense from the second unit. Plus, they wouldn’t want his potential on another contender.
Dwight Howard’s second stint in L.A. is a key component to the team’s recent success. His size to go alongside Davis and McGee cause matchup nightmares for opposing coaches. ‘Superman’ averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, & 1.1 blocks per game on an impressive 73% from the field. If the Lakers want to continue their dominance down low, they shouldn’t let the former 3x DPOY walk.
The late addition of Markieff Morris is bringing great value to the Lakers this season. His toughness and floor spacing expand the lineup options for HC Frank Vogel. Running it back with Morris’s versatility is a must for me.
In my opinion, keeping J.R. Smith on the depth chart would be a nice asset. The aging role player’s production on the court is declining, so there could be games where he would barley play. However, his time in L.A. wouldn’t be wasted. If the Lakers at any point would need to end a shooting drought, insert ‘J.R. Swish’ for a spark. Plus, his experience and relationship with ‘The King’ would give the Lakers a locker room guy.
Kotas Antetokounmpo and Devontae Cacok, as two-way players, would finalize the roster.
Final Thoughts
That was a potential 2020 Lakers offseason. Championship or not, the team has a busy fall ahead of them. Resigning AD and trading for a star are just a few moves on their plate.
If done correctly, the purple and gold can repeat as the title favorites.
Disagree with my take? What do you think a potential 2020 Lakers offseason could look like? Feel free to hit me up on Twitter or Instagram.