![]() If they're brutally honest with themselves and arrive at that conclusion, it would be far more logical to trade James and/or Davis before either can leave as free agents following the 2023-24 season. They'll only have non-Bird rights on Schroder, Bryant, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson, which means they can't offer more than 120 percent of what those players earned this year, respectively, as the starting salary of a new deal.īarring a major surprise-such as Kyrie Irving signing a far-below-market contract next summer-the Lakers' championship window has likely slammed shut. ![]() That isn't even enough for a max contract for someone with six or fewer years of experience in the league ($33.5 million), much less 7-9 ($40.2 million) or 10 or more ($46.9 million).īeyond that, the Lakers be limited to re-signing their own players and signing players using the room mid-level exception ($5.9 million) or on veteran-minimum deals. Add in the Pelicans' draft pick, and they'd be at roughly $32 million in cap space, according to Spotrac's Keith Smith. James, Davis and Max Christie are the only three players under guaranteed contract for the Lakers next season. There's just one problem with that plan: It would require picture-perfect execution to put them back into championship contention. Meanwhile, Amick and Buha reported in mid-September that they're already looking ahead to the prospect of having $30-plus million in available salary-cap space next summer. Sports Illustrated's Howard Beck recently said "they're waiting for a specific player" on whom they'd use the Westbrook-and-picks package to acquire. The Lakers appear to have their eyes on a bigger prize, though. "Other core players on the roster would likewise prefer those picks to be used to elevate this year’s team." James "does not want to waste a season of his high-level playing days in hopes of incoming reinforcements for the 2023-24 campaign," according to Haynes. on minimum deals this past offseason-you're basically drawing dead. When you're pinning your hopes on the return of Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant from injuries-two rotation players who signed in L.A. If the Lakers make only marginal changes to this roster, they'd just be rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. And that means trying to make deals without the first-round picks." ![]() "So, realizing that this team is probably not going to be a championship contender, might not even be a shoe-in for the playoffs the way that this season is going, they're probably looking at marginal changes around the edges at best. "I don't believe the Lakers are in a position right now to mortgage their future with those two available picks," Charania recently said. The Lakers' dismal start to the season has made such a deal even less likely. General manager Rob Pelinka ultimately decided to "remain patient and see, yet again, if Westbrook might find a way to make this imperfect fit with the Lakers work." The Lakers "seriously considered" trading Westbrook and those two first-round picks to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield leading up to training camp, according to Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic. They'll be able to include their 2023 first-round pick in a trade only after they make that selection in June. They also owe their fully unprotected 2024 first-rounder to the Pels, although New Orleans can defer and have that pick convey in 2025 instead.īecause of the Stepien Rule, which prohibits teams from being without first-round picks in back-to-back drafts, the Lakers currently can trade only their 20 first-rounders. As part of the package to acquire Davis in 2019, the Lakers gave the New Orleans Pelicans the right to swap first-round picks in the 2023 NBA draft.
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